Editing Profanity (section)

===United States===
{{See also|Actionable indecency|United States obscenity law}}
[[File:Virginia Beach No-Bad-Behavior sign.jpg|thumb|right|Local law in [[Virginia Beach]] prohibits the use of profanity along the boardwalk of Atlantic Avenue]]
In the United States, courts have generally ruled that the government does not have the right to prosecute someone solely for the use of an expletive, which would be a violation of their [[freedom of speech|right to free speech]] enshrined in the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]]. On the other hand, they have upheld convictions of people who used profanity to incite riots, harass people, or [[breach of the peace|disturb the peace]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://people.howstuffworks.com/swearing3.htm |title=How Swearing Works |website=HowStuffWorks |first=Tracy V. |last=Wilson|date=30 November 2005 }}</ref> In 2011, a [[North Carolina]] statute that made it illegal to use "indecent or profane language" in a "loud and boisterous manner" within earshot of two or more people on any public road or highway was struck down as unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aclu.org/news/states-anti-profanity-law-unconstitutional-rules-superior-court-judge |title=State's Anti-Profanity Law Unconstitutional Rules Superior Court Judge |website=ACLU |date=7 January 2011}}</ref> In 2015, the city of [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]] passed an ordinance that makes profane language punishable with fines up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wlos.com/news/local/watch-your-mouth-profanity-could-cost-you-in-myrtle-beach|title=Watch your mouth! Profanity could cost you in Myrtle Beach|author=WPDE Staff|date=27 August 2018|website=WLOS|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref> An amount of $22,000 was collected from these fines in 2017 alone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/myrtle-beach-profanity-fines-swearing-tickets-south-carolina-a8515016.html|title=A beach in South Carolina made over $22,000 by charging people for swearing|date=30 August 2018|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref>