The Constitution defines the fundamental law of the United States federal government, setting forth the three principal branches of the federal government, outlining their jurisdictions, and propounding the basic rights of U.S. citizens. It has become the landmark legal document of the Western world, and is the oldest written national constitution currently in effect (Mount at http://www.usconstitution.net/). Twenty-seven amendments have been added to the Constitution since 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were adopted as a unit in 1791. Although the federal government is required by the provisions of the Constitution to respect the individual citizen's basic rights, such as right of trial by jury, the most significant guarantees for individual civil rights were provided by ratification of the Bill of Rights (Mount at http://www.usconstitution.net). The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the rights of peaceful assembly and petition. Other amendments guarantee private property, fair treatment of those accused of crimes, such as unreasonable search and seizure, freedom from self-incrimination, a speedy and impartial jury trial, and representation by counsel. .

             The First Amendment states that, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." This means that the Federal government, and state governments as a result of the Fourteenth Amendment, may not pass legislation which interferes with these rights. The First Amendment protects U.S. citizens and residents from government regulation of speech and censorship. .

             In the 1997 case, ACLU v. Reno, the Supreme Court set the precedent for the regulation of the Internet.