<P> In law, commercial speech is speech or writing on behalf of a business with the intent of earning a profit . It is economic in nature and usually attempts to persuade consumers to purchase the business's product or service . The Supreme Court of the United States defines commercial speech as speech that "proposes a commercial transaction". </P> <P> In the United States, commercial speech is "entitled to substantial First Amendment protection, albeit less than political, ideological, or artistic speech". In the 1980 case Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court developed a four - part test to determine whether commercial speech regulation violates the First Amendment: </P>

What kind of speech does the first amendment protect commercial speech defamation