[kelnos]

I don't believe that's a constitutional right at all.

Consider "mandatory reporters". People like schoolteachers are legally required to report certain things like parental abuse or neglect of their students. If the government wanted to write a law that said you are required to report a crime if you witness one, I'm not sure that would be unconstitutional.

[Eisenstein]

I don't think they are legally required to do anything. Them having a license to work in their field is dependent on it, though.

As an aside, if you are legally required to report something you have seen, and do not, then you are violating the law, which means legally requiring you to report yourself is unconstitutional under the 5th amendment, so we enter into paradox territory...

[jrockway]

Yeah, I think that if someone lost their medical license for, say, endorsing a particular candidate up for election, that would be an EZ 9-0 supreme court victory for them.

As they said on slashdot 100 years ago, child porn is the root password to the constitution. Configure sshd to only accept keys!

[scott_w]

I can’t speak for the USA but in the UK, professions are required to act in certain cases where a layperson isn’t.

For example, a layperson can ignore someone having a heart attack but a doctor is required to help (even if it’s just calling for an ambulance).