Assange freed, press freedom imperiled
Through op-eds and TV appearances, FPF made clear that the Biden administration deserves zero credit after forcing Julian Assange to plead guilty to get out of prison
Federal prosecutors claim news is criminal contraband
Unconstitutional prior restraints are already on the rise. Now prosecutors are exploring novel new theories to censor journalists
‘Imperative’ to pass PRESS Act
Veteran journalist Catherine Herridge threw her full support behind the PRESS Act, the federal bill to put an end to surveillance and subpoenas to force journalists to out their sources, during Congressional testimony on April 11, 2024.
Stop arresting journalists
Just a few months into 2024, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented four arrests or detentions of journalists covering protests in New York, Tennessee, and California. These arrests violate journalists’ rights, and they undermine the right of the public to learn about newsworthy events happening in their communities. They also show the disturbing and stubborn persistence of a system of policing that either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about First Amendment rights.
UK grants Assange another hearing
On Tuesday, the High Court in London granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange another hearing on his extradition to the United States, averting — at least temporarily — a press freedom catastrophe. While we’re glad that Assange isn’t being immediately extradited, the threat to journalists from the Espionage Act charges against him remains.
Tim Burke is a journalist. His prosecution tries to criminalize journalism
President Biden has said that journalism isn’t a crime. But the DOJ seems to think otherwise
‘Classified information’ isn’t a magic formula to suspend the First Amendment
The Supreme Court seems to understand the First Amendment limits on government coercion of speech — except when it comes to national security
The case for ignoring censorship orders
Our U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documented 11 prior restraints against journalists in 2023, the most since it started tracking them in 2017. The Supreme Court has called prior restraints — or government orders not to publish information — the “most serious” First Amendment violation. They are almost never constitutional. And yet, courts keep entering prior restraints with little regard for the law, leaving journalists censored while often slow-moving appellate processes play out.
Florida lawmaker renews attack on the free press
New bill would undermine anonymous sourcing and invite libel tourism
UnAmerican RESTRICT Act would enable mass censorship
It’s embarrassing that elected officials actually support this unconstitutional mess