Surveillance expansion threatens press freedom – and everyone else's
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Mass surveillance is widespread. Congress must rein in government spying powers.
In 2013, whistleblower and longtime Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) board member Edward Snowden’s stunning revelations of mass surveillance by the National Security Agency shocked the world. Since then, we’ve learned even more about the alarming scope of surveillance by the U.S. government.
Mass surveillance undermines everyone’s privacy, and it threatens press freedom by allowing the government to spy on communications between journalists and their sources.
Take Action
Tell Congress to Fix Section 702 of FISA.
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Call or Email Your Senator or Representative
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Call or email your senator or representative and urge them to fix Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. A recent change to the law has vastly expanded the government’s spying powers.
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Write to Your Local Paper
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Help advance press freedom by writing newspaper op-eds or letters to the editor in support of fixing Section 702 of FISA.
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Featured Items
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Will Eric Holder Condemn DNI James Clapper For Suggesting That Journalists Are Criminal 'Accomplices'?
In a Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing on NSA surveillance today, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper insinuated dozens of journalists reporting on documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden were “accomplices” to a crime. His spokesman further suggested Clapper was referring to journalists after the hearing had concluded. …
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NSA Sees "Grave Damage" to National Security If Draft Talking Points on Surveillance Released
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Before Snowden, Nixon Admin Pioneered Evidence-Free 'Russian Spy' Smears Against Daniel Ellsberg
The New Yorker published an interview with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden last night in which he explains why recent claims by Rep. Mike Rogers that he is a Russian spy are “absurd.” Rep. Rogers, who made the allegations on Sunday, did not present any evidence to support his statements …
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Freedom of the Press Foundation's Response to Obama's NSA Speech
President Obama addressed NSA reform in a forty minute speech this morning in which he proposed a few welcome reforms and many which could normalize some of the NSA's most dangerous practices. The ACLU, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and journalist Glenn Greenwald have already issued responses well worth reading. …
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Highlights From Daniel Ellsberg’s Reddit AMA on Edward Snowden and NSA Surveillance
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Remembering Aaron Swartz, Who Passed Away One Year Ago Today
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Amazing New Book Reveals Whistleblowers of J. Edgar Hoover’s Illegal FBI For the First Time
Whenever NSA overreach is discussed, many—even the NSA’s biggest advocates—refer back to J. Edgar Hoover's illegal FBI domestic surveillance program in the 1960s and 70s as the prime example of an out-of-control intelligence agency and the dangers of a surveillance state. But rarely, if ever, does anyone refer to how …
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Sen. Schumer is Wrong; Snowden Would Be Barred From Arguing His Case At Trial
It seems every week a new member of Congress goes on a Sunday talk show and incorrectly states that if Edward Snowden came back to the United States to stand trial, he would be able to tell his side of the story to a jury and argue he is a …
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If Snowden Returned to US For Trial, All Whistleblower Evidence Would Likely Be Inadmissible
There seems to be a new talking point from government officials since a federal judge ruled NSA surveillance is likely unconstitutional last week: if Edward Snowden thinks he's a whistleblower, he should come back and stand trial. National Security Advisor Susan Rice said on 60 Minutes Sunday, “We believe …
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Freedom of the Press Foundation Launches Campaign to Support Encryption Tools For Journalists
Crowd-funding Campaign Will Support A Variety of Open-Source Encryption Tools That Make Communications Between Journalists and Sources Safer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Francisco, CA – December 5, 2013 – In its first year, Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) crowd-funded over $480,000 that went directly to cutting-edge journalism focused on …
