Supreme Court Rejects PETA's Appeal in Undercover Recording Case

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by North Carolina defending a state law that aimed to prevent hidden-camera investigations from damaging farms and businesses. The law, challenged by PETA and other animal rights groups, was ruled to violate the First Amendment right to free speech when enforced against "newsgathering activities." PETA conducts undercover investigations to expose animal abuse and feared the threat of monetary damages from the law. The decision not to hear the appeal is seen as a victory for animal rights activists, who argue that such "ag-gag" laws aim to suppress free speech and hide cruelty to animals.