Snowden anniversary a reminder of the need to protect whistleblowers and journalists

AP Photo/George Brich
Whistleblowers are essential to a free and unfettered press.
Whistleblowers play a critical role in informing the public and holding the government to account.
Sources who act out of conscience to leak information to the press further our democracy. Whistleblowers like Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning, and Edward Snowden, have exposed some of our government’s gravest abuses.
Unfortunately, whistleblowers are often prosecuted and jailed. That’s wrong. Whistleblowers and the journalists they work with should be celebrated, not punished.
The Biden admin, following the revelation of several scandals involving the DOJ spying on journalists, says it will end the practice.
Freedom of the Press Foundation has dedicated a portion of the proceeds from the auction of “Stay Free,” Edward Snowden’s record-breaking NFT artwork, to purchasing carbon offsets to address the emissions associated with the sale. We requested an estimate of the NFT’s output from the decarbonization platform Aerial, and opted for the very top of the estimated range.
Freedom of the Press Foundation releases its 2020 Impact Report, outlining the work we’ve accomplished in the past year, an overview of our major projects and initiatives, and how we will be expanding on our work in 2021.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in a highly anticipated case, which has attracted over a dozen amicus briefs from experts around the country. Today we're highlighting some of the important speech arguments that directly affect journalists, presented in a selection of those briefs.
The full Senate is expected to vote on the controversial EARN IT Act in the coming days, after unanimous approval from the Judiciary Committee on July 2. EARN IT would open the door to criminalizing encryption protections and increase censorship online, posing a significant threat to press freedom and whistleblowers.
The coronavirus crisis has highlighted the importance of whistleblowers to a free and unfettered press. Throughout this emergency, it has been whistleblowers playing a critical role in informing the general public and forcing governments to make important public health decisions.
We looked at over 80 news sites to measure how different newsrooms can get sensitive tips from sources.
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff inserted a provision in the House's intel bill that threatens press freedom.
Recent raids on journalists and newsrooms in Australia are the latest in a string of instances — in no way limited to Australia — of government targeting of journalists for their reporting.
Manning was released after a grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks expired last week, but she was immediately subpoenaed to order before a new one — and she could be jailed again for her courage when she resists again.