What Are First Amendment Auditors? Rights and Limits First Amendment auditors are people who deliberately film or photograph in public spaces, especially around government buildings and police, to test whether officials respect constitutional rights
First Amendment audit - Wikipedia Auditors describe their work as a form of grassroots accountability and constitutional testing Their stated aim is to examine how government officials and law enforcement officers respond when citizens exercise legally protected but socially contested rights, such as openly filming in public spaces
What is a First Amendment Auditor? “First Amendment auditors” are people who seek to exercise their constitutional rights particularly through photographing and video recording in public spaces They typically attempt to provoke a response or otherwise test local government officials, while continuously recording the encounter
What is a First Amendment Audit and How do I Deal with One? A First Amendment “audit” is conducted by a member of the public and targets a government facility, employee, or event In a typical First Amendment audit, the “auditor” records his or her encounter with a government employee through audio and or video means (usually a cell phone)
NAVIGATING FIRST AMENDMENT “AUDITORS” “This channel was created to contribute to the efforts of the 1st and 2nd amendment auditing community Specifically, I endeavor to work to hold Our government to account by actively gauging their compliance to our Federal and State Constitutions, and local laws ”
What to do When First Amendment Auditors Come to Town Two main classes: (1) auditor-initiated contact with police or public employee; and (2) auditor-initiated intrusion into public space buildings Both are by design intended to provoke a response, and auditors frequently hope to escalate the nature of the response
Responding to First Amendment Audits - California JPIA A First Amendment claim may result if the auditor is denied the right to speak on a particular topic during public comment or in a particular fashion A First Amendment auditor’s goal is to provoke a response
Point of Law: First Amendment Audits and The Law In this two-part series, I will break down several court cases that apply to First Amendment “auditors,” the areas of the law that protect officers, and what law enforcement can do moving forward
First Amendment Auditors: A Banker’s Guide to Compliance The actions of First Amendment auditors can lead to significant reputational risks Videos posted online may misrepresent interactions, portray employees negatively, or attract negative comments on social media platforms
First Amendment Audits: Definition, Examples and More A First Amendment audit occurs when people film public officials or employees to hold them accountable or "test" their right to film in public spaces like town halls, libraries, police stations, parking lots, or state and local agencies