Gitlow v. New York is a U.S. Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that the First Amendment right to free speech applied to state laws under the Fourteenth Amendment. However, the Supreme Court held that fundamental rights, including the freedom of speech, is not an absolute right and reasonable restrictions could be imposed by the states if it believes that such restrictions would be in the best interest of public safety and welfare. It must be noted that even though restrictions could be imposed on freedom of speech, such restrictions cannot be unreasonable or arbitrary.
[Last updated in December of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]