Protect the Press from Oligarchs

A 2017 protest in Portland, Oregon.

When the wealthy and powerful try to silence reporting, the public suffers.

Government actors aren’t the only ones who can threaten press freedom. Private individuals — particularly if they’re wealthy, powerful, and have connections to the government — often seek to silence reporting they dislike. These threats may take the form of strategic lawsuits against public participation, improper influence of government policy or decision-making, and censoring journalism on platforms they control.

When oligarchs attack press freedom, we all lose.