Police Say Racist Wi-Fi Network Name Protected by First Amendment

In an area not far from Iowa State University, a racist Wi-Fi network pops up automatically on cellphones and computers. Its name: “Hang that N-----!” When a 24-year-old from Los Angeles visiting friends in Ames saw those words, she called campus police and the Ames Police Department to complain. But Ames police told her they could do nothing about the Wi-Fi address because freedom of expression is protected under the First Amendment.

The GigaLaw Firm helps companies of all sizes protect their brands online, using domain name dispute policies – such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – and other legal tools available to copyright and trademark owners on the Internet.