The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects an individual’s right to speak freely. Generally, people expect to be able to say what they like without fear of government interference. This includes the right to share one’s opinion and to make critical statements that are true or that one reasonably believes to be true. But, the First Amendment right to free speech is limited when it butts up against other important rights. In the case of defamation, one person’s right to free speech interferes with another’s right to protect their good name. For this reason, defamation is not protected speech.