Dear Friend of Press Freedom:
We’re supporting an important federal bill to crack down on Flock Safety and the threat that mass surveillance technology poses to journalists. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continued its multipronged censorship campaign this week, while Florida politicians did their best impression of it. And for some good news: California lawmakers passed two important pieces of press freedom and transparency legislation.
Help put Flock on the chopping block
Artificial intelligence-powered camera networks operated by Flock Safety, Axon, and others are making the real-world consequences of mass surveillance impossible to ignore. Nearly every week brings a news report about how these systems are being abused to stalk romantic interests and exes, help immigration agents terrorize communities, or even spy on a children’s gymnastics room.
Given the history of government surveillance of journalists, it’s only a matter of time before we find out about these cameras being used against the press. That’s why we’re supporting Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s Get the Flock Out of Our Communities Act. Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) Senior Adviser Caitlin Vogus has more on the legislation and why this is a press freedom issue.
Ethically challenged FCC chair lectures press on ethics
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr proclaimed this week that broadcast news outlets may violate their license terms by reporting on what he calls “fake polls,” accusing outlets of violating journalistic ethics — a subject regarding which he knows nothing. Journalists have just as much right to report on polls that turn out to be wrong as they do to report on the Trump administration’s claims that constantly prove false.
Speaking of unscientific studies, our research indicates that 98 percent of what comes out of Carr’s mouth is unconstitutional nonsense, and the other two percent is “Where did I put my Donald Trump lapel pin?
Congressional threats to BreakThrough News are unconstitutional harassment
We led a coalition of press freedom organizations in demanding that the House Ways and Means Committee drop its threat to serially subpoena staffers at BreakThrough News. The committee wants BreakThrough News employees to testify before Congress unless the outlet drops its First Amendment objections and other challenges to the committee’s prior subpoenas and document demands by tomorrow.
The committee has claimed its prior correspondence was in furtherance of a tax-related probe into one of BreakThrough’s donors. But its chair, Jason Smith, is citing BreakThrough’s criticisms of immigration enforcement actions and of U.S. and Israeli foreign policy as examples of purported “anti-American” rhetoric it opposes, making clear that the probe is pure viewpoint discrimination.
Florida GOP lawsuit to censor TV stations fails Sunshine State
The Republican Party of Florida sued 14 TV stations in Central Florida to stop them from reporting on one of the biggest stories in the state, the Hope Florida scandal, which involves allegations that Gov. Ron DeSantis diverted $10 million in federal funds to a charity connected to his wife. The party has since dropped the lawsuit following backlash, including from the judiciary and press freedom advocates including FPF.
The lawsuit purportedly involved a campaign ad that references sealed grand jury materials about the case, which it contends became public due to sloppiness on the government’s part. But it sought an order that would extend far beyond the ad to any reporting on its subject matter. And in any case, the press isn’t responsible for keeping the government’s secrets. It’s fully entitled to publish grand jury materials — or anything else — that it lawfully obtains.
California lawmakers bolster local news and transparency
We spend a lot of time talking about the awful track records of California law enforcement agencies when it comes to journalists’ rights. But recently, lawmakers in the Golden State have been coming through for the free press.
California passed the Community News Act to bolster local journalism and a new public records law that could help uncover mistreatment of immigrants in ICE detention. Angelino and FPF Deputy Director of Advocacy Adam Rose has more on these two big wins for transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know.
What we’re reading
Zero-click spyware uses ads to target reporters
Spyware vendors are using ads to breach mobile devices, even if you never click. New research shows journalists have become targets.
Trump pushes to evict the press from the White House
“President Trump has talked about replacing the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room with an indoor swimming pool.” You can’t make this stuff up.
This is how I report from solitary confinement
“Reporting from prison is a lot like reporting from a war zone,” writes FPF columnist Jeremy Busby, describing his unique reporting process and the many obstacles he encounters. “You try to document what is happening around you while staying in survival mode yourself.” Journalists on the outside face challenges, too, which is why we have a two-part guide on prison reporting.
Judge orders Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11
No, you don’t get to file meritless lawsuits against news outlets for $10 billion dollars and then evade discovery to test your claims, even if you’re the president. If it was anyone else, the case would’ve been thrown out already.
White House takes new swipes at press, blocking a reporter and threatening an outlet
After two years of these antics, Trump apparently still thinks that if he threatens just one more reporter, the press will stop exposing his incompetence and the public will start liking his policies. It hasn’t worked yet, and it’s not going to start now.
