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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina's, can enact laws that unduly restrict the press from reporting news or publishing opinions. The principle of freedom of the press is a fundamental right that protects journalists, news organizations, and publishers from government censorship. However, this freedom is not absolute; it must be balanced against other rights and interests, such as national security, individual privacy, and the prevention of libel and slander. South Carolina's state statutes and case law interpret and apply these principles within the state's jurisdiction, but they must do so in a manner that is consistent with the First Amendment protections as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court.