McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission

Citation: McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Comm'n, 514 U.S. 334 (1995).

The U.S. Supreme Court examined the breadth of the right to anonymity protected by First Amendment principles. Noting that famous works of literature had been penned by authors utilizing assumed names, the Court recognized that "[t]he decision in favor of anonymity may be motivated by fear of economic or official retaliation, by concern about social ostracism, or merely by a desire to preserve as much of one's privacy as possible." Specifically acknowledging that "the freedom to publish anonymously extends beyond the literary realm," the Court held that an Ohio law prohibiting the distribution of [[anonymous campaign literature was unconstitutional]].