From the Knight Foundation
May 17, 2016
Knight Foundation, Columbia University launch First Amendment Institute, $60 million project to promote free expression in the digital age
Project will support litigation, research and education on threats to freedom of speech and the press, and help shape First Amendment law in digital media
NEW YORK – May 17, 2016 – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Columbia University today announced the creation of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. The $60 million effort will seek to preserve and expand First Amendment rights in the digital age through research and education, and by supporting litigation in favor of protecting freedom of expression and the press.
The main activities of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University will be in the areas of litigation, research and education. The institute will watch for court cases that offer an opportunity to define First Amendment law in the digital age, with a goal of achieving significant victories, and priority given to cases with digital components. Through its research, fellowships, publications, lectures and other events, the institute will seek to help the legal community, including the nation’s network of legal clinics, understand the principles underlying the First Amendment and how they apply to new technology.