New guide helps journalists know their rights when police come knocking
Marion County Record
Searches of newsrooms and seizures of journalists’ materials chill reporting.
Police searches of newsrooms and seizures of journalists' communications, electronic devices, notes, and other reporting materials intimidates journalists and sources and chill reporting. Searches and seizures can reveal confidential sources and transform reporters into tools of law enforcement.
Numerous laws protect reporters from searches and seizures, but police routinely violate them. Too often, courts rubber-stamp requests for searches and seizures involving journalists. In some instances, officials even appear to have obtained illegal search warrants to intimidate and silence journalists and news outlets who criticize them.
Featured Items
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Outrageous raid in Kansas underscores need for newsroom encryption
Newsrooms must adapt to the new reality that police might ignore the law and Constitution and seize their equipment
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FPF statement on alarming police raid of Kansas newspaper
Equipment seizures could stop local paper from publishing
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Source protection must survive journalist’s death
The Nevada Supreme Court should bar the search of murdered reporter’s devices
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Recording cops up close is not a crime
Requiring observers to keep a distance from police undermines press freedom and violates the First Amendment
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Upcoming trial of journalists only tip of anti-press iceberg in Asheville
Search warrant and park bans show officials’ unusual hostility to free speech as June 12 trial approaches
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Judge ignores Constitution to bar press from publishing public documents
St. Louis case continues troubling trend of government trying to claw back records it released
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A judge struck down an anti-press restraining order. Why does it feel so lousy?
Sanctions are needed so other politicians don’t try similar unconstitutional antics
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California judge buries censorship order in the fine print
Newspaper group refuses to comply with unconstitutional order.
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Ohio authorities ignore Supreme Court to arrest journalist
Editor charged and equipment seized after publishing source’s recording of murder trial.
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Exploiting tragedy: Police in Uvalde and Buffalo clamp down on free press
Police have used the aftermath of mass shootings to restrict press access and threaten arrest of journalists on the ground, according to recent reporting by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. In each of those cities, as tragedy unfolded and reporters began working, they have faced unnecessary hurdles erected by law enforcement and public officials.
