imported>Reidgreg: Adding local short description: "American free speech advocacy and research organization", overriding Wikidata description "Free Expression Policy Project" (Shortdesc helper)

2021-09-01T13:29:44Z

Adding local short description: "American free speech advocacy and research organization", overriding Wikidata description "Free Expression Policy Project" (Shortdesc helper)

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{{Short description|American free speech advocacy and research organization}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Free Expression Policy Project
| image = Free Expression Policy Project.png
| size = 400px
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| caption = Organization banner image
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| abbreviation = FEPP
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| formation = {{Start date and age|2000}}
| founder = [[Marjorie Heins]]
| type = [[Nonprofit organization]]
| status = Active
| purpose = [[Freedom of speech]] research and advocacy
| location = [[Manhattan]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
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| language = English
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| affiliations = [[National Coalition Against Censorship]]<br />[[Brennan Center for Justice]] at [[New York University Law School]]
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| website = {{URL|http://www.fepproject.org/}}
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The '''Free Expression Policy Project''' (FEPP) is an organization devoted to assisting researchers with assembling information related to [[freedom of speech]], [[media democracy]], and [[copyright]], and advocating for these issues. [[Civil liberties]] lawyer [[Marjorie Heins]] founded the [[nonprofit organization]] in 2000. Based in [[Manhattan]], [[New York (state)|New York]], it was initially associated with the [[National Coalition Against Censorship]], and subsequently operated as part of the Democracy Program of the [[Brennan Center for Justice]] at [[New York University Law School]].

The FEPP conducted a survey in 2001 which revealed that online monitoring software, including [[Net Nanny]], [[SurfWatch]], and Cybersitter, cast too broad a net and often blocked legitimate educational websites in their attempts to censor material from youths. In 2003, the organization assisted 33 academics in filing a friend-of-the-court brief challenging a law which restricted the sale of violent video games to minors. In coordination with the Brennan Center for Justice, the FEPP released a public policy report in 2006 on the inefficiency of [[Internet censorship|Internet filtering]]; the report concluded that freedom of expression was harmed by such online censorship activity. In 2007, the FEPP became an independent organization.

''The New Walford Guide to Reference Resources'' praised the FEPP website for its links to resources on freedom of expression and censorship. FEPP has been characterized by the ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'' as a [[think tank]] devoted to researching the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution]]. ''[[The Denver Post]]'' described the organization as a censorship [[wikt:watchdog|watchdog organization]], and a separate article from the same newspaper called it a [[Left-wing politics|left-of-center]] politically aligned group, which advocated for both [[intellectual freedom]] and [[artistic freedom]].

==History==
[[File:Marjorie Heins.jpg|thumb|[[Marjorie Heins]] at an event for the [[National Coalition Against Censorship]] in 2009]]
The Free Expression Policy Project was founded by [[Marjorie Heins]], who became its initial director.<ref>{{cite news|title=Analysis: FCC rekindles focus on indecency|first=Chris|last=Gaetano|work=UPI Perspectives|date=July 9, 2004|publisher=[[United Press International]]}}</ref><ref name="statenews">{{cite news|title=Civil liberties lawyer Marjorie Heins will deliver U-M lecture on academic and intellectual freedom|work=State News Service|date=October 8, 2013|publisher=[[InfoTrac]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Indecency fine zips lips on TV programs|work=[[The Palm Beach Post]]|date=June 13, 2006|page=8D; Section: Business News}}</ref> It was formed as a [[nonprofit organization]].<ref name="hafner">{{cite news|title=On Video Games, The Jury Is Out And Confused|first=Katie|last=Hafner|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 5, 2003|page=G1; Section: Business News}}</ref> Founded in 2000,<ref name="briancarroll">{{cite book|title=Writing for Digital Media|first=Brian|last= Carroll|page=294|year=2010|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-99201-5}}</ref><ref name="encnyc">{{cite encyclopedia | year =2010 | title =Free Expression Policy Project [FEPP] | encyclopedia =[[The Encyclopedia of New York City]]| publisher =[[Yale University Press]] | location =[[New Haven, Connecticut]] | isbn=978-0-300-11465-2|edition=2nd|oclc=842264684|first=Christopher M.|last=Finan|editor1-first=Kenneth T.|editor1-last=Jackson|editor2-first=Lisa|editor2-last=Keller|editor3-first=Nancy |editor3-last=Flood}}</ref> the organization formed with goals of assisting researchers with assembling information related to [[freedom of speech]], [[media democracy]], and [[copyright]], and advocating for these issues.<ref name="statenews" /><ref name="briancarroll" /> It started as an outgrowth of the [[National Coalition Against Censorship]].<ref name="encnyc" /> Prior to founding the organization, Heins served as director of the Art Censorship Project at the [[American Civil Liberties Union]].<ref name="encnyc" /> The FEPP monitors incidents of censorship against artists,<ref name="eakin" /> and is based in [[Manhattan]], [[New York (state)|New York]].<ref name="eakin">{{cite news|title=The Censor and the Artist: A Murky Border|first=Emily |last=Eakin|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 26, 2002|page=E3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Taking no chances|work=[[The Austin American-Statesman]]|date=June 18, 2006|page=J01; Section: Business News|first=David|last=Ho}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=That's indecent! (or is it?); For TV and radio, FCC must decide how far is too far|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|date=April 2, 2006|page=C1}}</ref>

A 2001 survey conducted by the organization found that popular online filters including [[Net Nanny]], [[SurfWatch]], and Cybersitter had significant problems, and blocked legitimate websites, including the website of US Congressman [[Richard Armey]] because his site included his nickname, "Dick".<ref name="davidrowan">{{cite news|title=Keep your children safe on the superhighway; Cover Story|work=[[The Times]]|location=London, England|date=December 30, 2004|page=4|first=David|last=Rowan}}</ref> The [[University of Kansas]] Archie R. Dykes Medical Library was blocked by SurfWatch because the word "dykes" appeared on the site.<ref name="davidrowan" /> In 2003, Stephanie Greist served as communications director for the Free Expression Policy Project.<ref name="hafner" />

In 2003, the Free Expression Policy Project assisted 33 academics specializing in journalism, with filing a friend-of-the-court brief challenging a law which restricted the sale of violent video games to youths.<ref>{{cite news|title=Violent video games gain victory in court|first=Peter|last=Shinkle|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=June 4, 2003|page=A1}}</ref> In 2004 the organization operated at the National Coalition Against Censorship.<ref>{{cite news|title=Context drives result when TV dares to bare|first=Phil|last=Kloer|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|location=Atlanta, Georgia|date=February 4, 2004|page=A1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Analysis: Clearplay or censorship?|first=Christian|last=Bourge|date=May 20, 2004|work=UPI Perspectives|publisher=[[United Press International]]}}</ref> In 2005 the organization was part of the [[Brennan Center for Justice]] at [[New York University Law School]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Pornography peddlers find business under legal attack; White House steps up prosecution of obscenity with new Justice unit|first=Mark|last=Sherman|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]|location=[[Bergen County, New Jersey]]|date=May 6, 2005|page=A29}}</ref><ref name="jesdanun">{{cite news|first= Anick|last=Jesdanun|agency=[[Associated Press]]|title=Adult web sites may get '.xxx.' |work=[[The Cincinnati Post]]|date=June 13, 2005|page=A1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Internet red-light district given tentative approval |work=[[Wisconsin State Journal]]|date=June 13, 2005|page=A1}}</ref> Within the Brennan Center for Justice, the FEPP operated through the Democracy Program at the law school.<ref>{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/violenceinmediar0000sign/page/181 181]|title=Violence in the Media: A Reference Handbook|first=Nancy|last=Signorielli|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|year=2005|isbn=978-1-85109-604-6|url=https://archive.org/details/violenceinmediar0000sign/page/181}}</ref> In 2006 the organization, in collaboration with the Brennan Center for Justice, released a report on the inefficiency of [[Internet censorship|Internet filtering]].<ref name="bainbridge">{{cite news|title=New report criticizes Web filters|work=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]|location=Colorado Springs, Colorado|date=May 28, 2006|page=4; Section: Business|first=Jim|last=Bainbridge}}</ref> The 87-page report concluded that academic-based [[censorship]] of material on the Internet was far too broad and harmed free expression of ideas.<ref name="bainbridge" /> The FEPP became independent from both the National Coalition Against Censorship and the Brennan Center for Justice in 2007.<ref name="encnyc" />

==Analysis==
''The New Walford Guide to Reference Resources'' praised the FEPP website for its links to other websites about freedom of expression and censorship.<ref name="walford">{{cite encyclopedia|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newwalfordguidet0001unse/page/550 550–552]|encyclopedia=The New Walford Guide to Reference Resources|publisher=Facet Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-1-85604-498-1|title=The Free Expression Policy Project: a think tank on artistic and intellectual freedom|editor1-first=Ray|editor1-last=Lester|editor2-first=Peter|editor2-last=Clinch|editor3-first=Heather|editor3-last=Dawson|editor4-first=Helen|editor4-last=Edwards|editor5-first=Susan|editor5-last=Tarrant|quote=The site is notable for its extensive and well annotated list of links to websites which also have information about censorship, free expression ...|url=https://archive.org/details/newwalfordguidet0001unse/page/550}}</ref> ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'' described the Free Expression Policy Project as a [[think tank]] dedicated to the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Lawmaker's got 8 dirty words he wants off the bleepin' air|first=Chuck |last=Lindell|work=[[The Austin American-Statesman]]|date=February 11, 2004|page=A1}}</ref> A 2002 article in ''[[The Denver Post]]'' called the FEPP a [[wikt:watchdog|watchdog organization]] which monitored censorship.<ref>{{cite news|title=Top thinkers rebut gamers\violence link|work=[[The Denver Post]]|date=October 13, 2002|page=F-10|first=David|last=Thomas}}</ref> In a 2004 article, ''The Denver Post'' characterized the organization as a think tank from the [[Left-wing politics|left-of-center]] political alignment, which advocated for both [[intellectual freedom]] and [[artistic freedom]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Censors at FCC checking wind direction|work=[[The Denver Post]]|date=February 1, 2004|page=F-04|first=Joanne|last=Ostrow}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the FEPP an organization which was critical of censorship of depictions of violence in the media.<ref name="hafner" />

==See also==
{{Portal|Freedom of speech}}
*[[Academic freedom]]
*[[Censorship]]
*''[[Cutting the Mustard: Affirmative Action and the Nature of Excellence]]''
*[[National Coalition Against Censorship]]
*''[[Not in Front of the Children: "Indecency," Censorship, and the Innocence of Youth]]''
*[[Prior restraint]]
*''[[Sex, Sin, and Blasphemy: A Guide to America's Censorship Wars]]''
*[[Suppression of dissent]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite encyclopedia | year =2010 | title =Free Expression Policy Project [FEPP] | encyclopedia =[[The Encyclopedia of New York City]]| publisher =[[Yale University Press]] | location =[[New Haven, Connecticut]] | isbn=978-0-300-11465-2|edition=2nd|oclc=842264684|first=Christopher M.|last=Finan|editor1-first=Kenneth T.|editor1-last=Jackson|editor2-first=Lisa|editor2-last=Keller|editor3-first=Nancy |editor3-last=Flood}}
*{{cite encyclopedia|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newwalfordguidet0001unse/page/550 550–552]|encyclopedia=The New Walford Guide to Reference Resources|publisher=Facet Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-1-85604-498-1|title=The Free Expression Policy Project: a think tank on artistic and intellectual freedom|editor1-first=Ray|editor1-last=Lester|editor2-first=Peter|editor2-last=Clinch|editor3-first=Heather|editor3-last=Dawson|editor4-first=Helen|editor4-last=Edwards|editor5-first=Susan|editor5-last=Tarrant|quote=The site is notable for its extensive and well annotated list of links to websites which also have information about censorship, free expression ...|url=https://archive.org/details/newwalfordguidet0001unse/page/550}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fepproject.org/}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Censorship in the United States]]
[[Category:Freedom of expression organizations]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2000]]
[[Category:Research institutes established in 2000]]
[[Category:Think tanks established in 2000]]

Free Expression Policy Project - Revision history

imported>Reidgreg: Adding local short description: "American free speech advocacy and research organization", overriding Wikidata description "Free Expression Policy Project" (Shortdesc helper)