CNN Argues that Requiring Captioning of Web Videos Would Violate Free Speech

Alice Wong passes along this interesting story about a Ninth Circuit argument yesterday.  It begins:

The 9th Circuit pressed advocates for the deaf to explain how their demands for captioned videos on CNN's website supersede First Amendment media rights. 

Hoping to keep a jury from hearing claims that it discriminates against more than 100,000 deaf web surfers, CNN had sought relief under California's anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) statute. Such laws allow for the early dismissal of claims that are designed to chill the exercise of First Amendment rights. 

It claimed that the lawsuit threatens its right to gather and disseminate news on matters of public interest, and that the disability advocates cannot establish a likelihood of success in the suit.