What level of scrutiny applies to a law that discriminates on the basis of content in speech or other protected status, and what must the government show?

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Content-based discrimination in speech or classifications based on protected status triggers strict scrutiny. Under this standard, the government must show a compelling interest and that the regulation is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest using the least restrictive means. Narrow tailoring means the law directly advances the objective without being broader than necessary, and least restrictive means means there is no other viable approach that would achieve the same goal with less burden on speech. This standard is far more demanding than rational basis or intermediate scrutiny, reflecting the strong protection afforded to speech and to classifications tied to protected statuses.