What was the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan? A.False speech is unacceptable in every circumstance. B.F
alse speech is never harmful to listeners. C.False speech cannot be constitutionally protected. D.False speech can be allowed if it is not intentionally malicious
The correct answer is D. The Supreme Court's ruling in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan was that false speech can be allowed if it is not intentionally malicious.
Explanation:
The ruling in New York Times v. Sullivan of 1964, in which the Supreme Court established that, when requiring officials or public figures to report media reports of alleged defamation or infringement of reputation, the principle of true malice must be followed. The case is a key verdict that guarantees freedom of the press. The principle of truthfulness requires that the plaintiff in a defamation case must prove that the publisher of the report knew that the report was false. As the plaintiff bears a heavy burden of proof and proves that one's inner activities are more difficult, when it comes to public figures, such cases rarely win.
