When Nike Speaks

The debate over sweatshops and corporate responsibility for factory working conditions has again made its way to American courts. When Nike issued misleading statements about its third-world labor policies, consumer groups took the company to court, charging Nike with false advertising. In May 2002, the California Supreme Court sided against Nike, allowing lawsuits against the company and inciting uproar from First Amendment advocates. Nike’s statements were not advertising but political speech, they asserted, and political speech is protected more fully by the First Amendment. The New York Times, stressing the importance of open public debate, urges the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case and review the decision. –YaleGlobal