The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that Congress shall make no law abridging (curtailing) the freedom of the press. Thus, freedom of the press prohibits censorship by the government in the reporting of news and the publication of opinions.
In Nebraska, as in all states, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of the press. This means that neither Congress nor any state legislature, including Nebraska's, can enact laws that would curtail the press's ability to report news or publish opinions. This protection is a cornerstone of American democracy, ensuring that the government cannot censor news outlets, control the content that is published, or impose punitive measures on the press for content that might be critical of the government. Nebraska's state constitution also upholds these freedoms, providing similar protections against state or local government infringement on the freedom of the press. However, this freedom is not absolute; there are legal limitations related to libel, slander, obscenity, and national security that the press must navigate. Nonetheless, the general principle remains that the government cannot exercise censorship over the press.