Will the First Amendment survive the information age?

[Commentary] The First Amendment has survived plenty of change in 225 years. Speech, press and expression rights have been expanded and hardened as they’ve adapted to a succession of technologies, the telegraph, print, radio and television. Those who follow the topic most closely, though, say the information age started a whole new era. Here are key questions likely to shape the future of the First Amendment:

How will the Internet alter free speech practices? There’s still a lot of unsettled law about how speech and expression play out in a Facebook world.
Who’s advocating for the public’s interest? We should watch which players and what forces are trying to influence the rules as a changing of the media guard takes place.
Who controls how information moves? Just as important as who creates content will be who distributes it, which is why the net neutrality rules approved by the Federal Communications Commission last year and now under appeal drew comment from a who’s who of tech companies, from Netflix and Google to Comcast and Verizon.
What will expanding business rights mean? A series of First Amendment rulings sought by corporations has freed them from limits in such areas as advertising, ingredient labeling and, of course, political contributions.
And finally, where do you stand? Here the news is encouraging: The First Amendment’s simple, 45-word summary covering religion, speech, press, petition and assembly is deeply woven into the American civil fabric.