Google Antitrust First Amendment

Google

FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION FOR SEARCH ENGINE SEARCH RESULTS April 20, 2012

Eugene Volokh Academic Affiliate Mayer Brown LLP 350 South Grand Avenue, 25th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071-1503 (310) 206-3926 Donald M. Falk Partner Mayer Brown LLP Two Palo Alto Square, Suite 300 3000 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306-2112 (650) 331-2030

This White Paper was commissioned by Google, but the views within it should not necessarily be ascribed to Google.

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 3

II. Accusations and Facts ............................................................................................. 6 III. The First Amendment Fully Protects Search Engine Results .............................. 6 A. The First Amendment Fully Protects Internet Speech .................................. 8 B. The First Amendment Fully Protects Editorial Choices About What to Include or Exclude in One’s Speech Product ................................................... 8 C. That Search Engine Results Are Created with the Help of Computerized Algorithms Does Not Rob Them of First Amendment Protection ................ 10 D. The First Amendment Fully Protects Facts and Opinions on Nonpolitical Subjects ........................................................................................................... 12 E. The First Amendment Fully Protects Interactive Media ............................. 14 F. The First Amendment Fully Protects Aggregation of Materials Authored by Others ............................................................................................................. 14 G. The Rules Governing Speech That Is Acted on Mechanically Are Inapplicable Here ........................................................................................... 16 H. Google Has Never Surrendered the Right—Which All Speakers Possess—To Choose What Information It...