Nostr notes by Freedom of the Press

Records obtained through FOIA requests have helped journalists ...

2026-10-27T21:08:23Z

Records obtained through FOIA requests have helped journalists and the public uncover major insights.

When FOIA offices lose staff and resources, requests pile up and secrecy gets worse.

Tell Congress to protect FOIA today:

https://freedom.press/action/protect-foia/

Broadcasters have a First Amendment right to report polling data, ...

2026-10-21T19:57:44Z

Broadcasters have a First Amendment right to report polling data, even if it proves to be inaccurate, just like they have a First Amendment right to report on Brendan Carr and Trump’s own countless lies, even when they turn out to be inaccurate.

More:

https://freedom.press/issues/brendan-carr-reporting-on-polls-may-violate-broadcast-license-terms/

Camera networks run by Flock, Axon, and others make it cheap and ...

2026-10-20T19:22:47Z

Camera networks run by Flock, Axon, and others make it cheap and easy for investigators to link reporters to their sources or for authorities to harass journalists.

That’s why FPF is proud to endorse the Get the Flock Out of Our Communities Act.

https://freedom.press/issues/put-flock-on-the-chopping-block/

At this point Israeli government-backed mobs assaulting ...

2026-10-16T16:27:22Z

At this point Israeli government-backed mobs assaulting journalists in the West Bank is a routine occurrence.

It belies any claim that the U.S. promotes democracy by financing the army that stands by and allows these attacks to occur.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/10/16/palestinians-washington-post-photographer-attacked-west-bank/

Winners announced for the Penlight Prize — a $25K journalism ...

2026-10-15T17:56:03Z

Winners announced for the Penlight Prize — a $25K journalism award that highlights FOIA-based, paywall-free reporting.

Congrats to USAToday’s reporter Austin Fast on securing first place for his investigation, “Sepsis is ‘very treatable.’ For inmates, it’s often a death sentence.”

How much does it cost to get information about a cop who punched ...

2026-10-02T22:58:07Z

How much does it cost to get information about a cop who punched someone in the face?

About $2.5M, plus 44,816 hours of staff time, according to the Eugene, OR, Police Department.

If that sounds absurd, it’s because it is.

Watch Lauren Harper explain:

The government acquired over six months of phone records ...

2026-09-17T15:08:50Z

The government acquired over six months of phone records belonging to Georgia Fort without a judge's approval.

Congress must pass the PRESS Act to block federal agencies from seizing reporters' records.

https://spokesman-recorder.com/2026/09/16/georgia-fort-phone-records-dhs-investigation/

An Oklahoma city can't charge a records requester an obscene ...

2026-09-04T18:29:23Z

An Oklahoma city can't charge a records requester an obscene fee of more than $17K thanks to a recent ruling from the state attorney general.

Good for the AG for knowing the law — far too often state officials refuse to respect the public's right to access government records.

https://www.404media.co/oklahoma-tells-city-it-cant-charge-17-125-44-for-a-records-request-related-to-data-center-arrest/?ref=weekly-roundup-newsletter

We 'hope' the Obama Center will 'change' its ...

2026-09-02T18:01:26Z

We 'hope' the Obama Center will 'change' its erroneous First Amendment exhibit.

That'd be "fire," as the kids say, sometimes loudly in crowded theaters.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/09/02/obama-center-first-amendment-journalism-press-freedom-speech-trump-seth-stern

Obama Center's First Amendment fail: The erroneous quiz ...

2026-09-02T14:43:13Z

Obama Center's First Amendment fail: The erroneous quiz answers may have children thinking that free speech is easily curtailed, priming them to accept censorship as normal and reasonable.

Read FPF’s Seth Stern's op-ed in Chicago Sun-Times:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/09/02/obama-center-first-amendment-journalism-press-freedom-speech-trump-seth-stern

Are you a journalist who uses FOIA or other public records laws ...

2026-08-31T21:26:04Z

Are you a journalist who uses FOIA or other public records laws in your reporting?

You could win $25,000 with our new journalism award, the Penlight Prize.

Watch our video to learn more, and apply by Sept. 15: https://penlightprize.org/

Phishing with AI-automated emails is making it easier for ...

2026-08-27T18:24:05Z

Phishing with AI-automated emails is making it easier for attackers to write plausible-looking lures, and at scale.

But you can still do some pretty simple things to defend yourself.

Read our digital security team’s advice column for more.

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/ask-a-security-trainer-does-ai-make-phishing-worse/

President Trump’s threat to sue a liberal think tank attempts ...

2026-08-27T13:50:57Z

President Trump’s threat to sue a liberal think tank attempts to transform defamation law into a modern-day Sedition Act that could be wielded against journalists.

https://freedom.press/issues/the-dangerous-new-twist-in-trumps-latest-defamation-threat/

Carlitos Ricardo Parias is approaching 300 days behind bars, the ...

2026-08-17T21:33:16Z

Carlitos Ricardo Parias is approaching 300 days behind bars, the longest known time a journalist has spent in U.S. custody.

Authorities say he's undocumented, but their account doesn't explain a growing mountain of evidence, FPF's Adam Rose writes in The Intercept.

Read more:

https://theintercept.com/2026/08/16/ricardo-parias-ice-detention-journalist-los-angeles/

Truth Social's new service offering faster access to ...

2026-08-13T21:38:11Z

Truth Social's new service offering faster access to Trump's posts for a $100K price tag is brazen grift.

That’s why Freedom of the Press Foundation and The Intercept filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday to shut down this unconstitutional scheme.

Watch our video to learn more.

An appeals court just denied President Joe Biden’s attempt to ...

2026-08-11T18:14:50Z

An appeals court just denied President Joe Biden’s attempt to block the release of his interviews with his ghostwriter.

This ruling is a victory for transparency — and establishes a powerful precedent.

If Biden’s interviews must be released in the public interest, that same standard must apply to Jack Smith’s findings on Donald Trump.

You cannot have one standard of secrecy for your political allies and another for your opponents.

If you're a journalist using AI tools, you might be putting ...

2026-08-07T22:25:23Z

If you're a journalist using AI tools, you might be putting yourself — and your sources — at risk without even realizing it.

Watch our Chief Security Programs Officer Harlo Holmes break it down, and learn what you need to know before sharing sensitive information with AI tools.

Your phone won’t run an app that’s been tampered with, but ...

2026-08-06T16:30:36Z

Your phone won’t run an app that’s been tampered with, but your browser will run anything a server sends it.

WEBCAT is a tamper-evident seal for web applications, developed by Freedom of the Press Foundation.

Find out more:

https://freedom.press/tech/news/webcat-a-tamper-evident-seal-for-the-open-web/

Former FCC chairs and officials call agency’s early review of ...

2026-07-29T18:55:30Z

Former FCC chairs and officials call agency’s early review of ABC licenses “an assault on free speech disguised as regulatory process”

Read more in Deadline:

https://deadline.com/2026/07/fcc-abc-early-license-renewal-free-speech-1237005566/

The Trump admin's new rules requiring foreign journalists to ...

2026-07-29T18:04:23Z

The Trump admin's new rules requiring foreign journalists to reapply for visas every eight months risk "limiting global visibility into what happens here and creating problems for America’s foreign correspondents," The Washington Post editorial board writes.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/07/27/limiting-foreign-journalist-visas-could-boomerang-american-media/

The Pentagon wants to block FOIA access to all “controlled ...

2026-07-27T13:32:41Z

The Pentagon wants to block FOIA access to all “controlled unclassified information.”

If successful, hundreds of millions of documents could be hidden from journalists and the public — potentially forever.

Read more in our secrecy newsletter, The Classifieds.

https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/pentagon-tries-to-hide-unclassified-records-from-foia/

Interrogating journalists at the border and seizing their ...

2026-07-14T15:35:16Z

Interrogating journalists at the border and seizing their electronic devices has no place in a county that claims to protect freedom of the press.

If this reporter was targeted because of his reporting or viewpoint, it’s an outrageous assault on the First Amendment.

https://www.rightsanddissent.org/news/journalists-devices-seized-at-u-s-border-following-iran-reporting/

"When the government claims it needs to investigate ...

2026-07-13T21:18:02Z

"When the government claims it needs to investigate journalists to protect national security, it really means its own reputational security," FPF's Seth Stern told The Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/11/justice-department-subpoenas-new-york-times-air-force-one

You don't have to censor a newsroom to censor the news. You ...

2026-07-09T15:12:36Z

You don't have to censor a newsroom to censor the news. You just have to penalize those who share it.

Protecting press freedom must mean protecting everyone who reads, circulates, and discusses reporting.

https://freedom.press/issues/the-government-wants-to-scare-americans-out-of-sharing-the-news/

The Supreme Court couldn’t be bothered to correct litigants who ...

2026-07-02T20:48:49Z

The Supreme Court couldn’t be bothered to correct litigants who think filing a lawsuit gives them permission to commandeer the Fourth Estate and force journalists to burn sources.

Fewer whistleblowers will be willing to come forward as a result.

https://apnews.com/article/catherine-herridge-journalist-contempt-fox-news-cbs-61a57427bef6472a3462b21c0d53a35f

"We’ve reached the point in the erosion of the First ...

2026-06-26T17:01:53Z

"We’ve reached the point in the erosion of the First Amendment where the government considers possession of anarchist zines and membership in a terrorist cell to be more or less the same," Seth Stern and Jeremy Busby write in The Intercept (npub1s89…rdtv).

https://theintercept.com/2026/06/26/daniel-sanchez-estrada-zines-prairieland-free-speech/

Daniel Sanchez’s case is the latest example of the Trump ...

2026-06-24T14:58:25Z

Daniel Sanchez’s case is the latest example of the Trump administration "grasping at any legal straws it can to criminalize disfavored ideologies and writings," FPF's Seth Stern said.

Read more in The Dissenter:

https://thedissenter.org/trump-doj-succeeds-in-criminalizing-sharing-of-political-zines/

David Ellison won’t air criticism of himself, his company, or ...

2026-06-16T16:48:38Z

David Ellison won’t air criticism of himself, his company, or his buddy Trump.

This is bad for press freedom, bad for the public, and bad for Paramount.

Read our statement:

https://freedom.press/issues/paramount-blocks-fpf-ad-about-trump-ellison-censorship-threat/

Leaked White House memos show top Trump administration lawyers ...

2026-06-15T20:21:17Z

Leaked White House memos show top Trump administration lawyers were concerned by proposals to suspend habeas corpus and invoke the Insurrection Act.

This article underscores why our legal fight for the preservation of — and access to — presidential records is critical.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/us/politics/trump-scharf-habeas-corpus-insurrection-act.html

"The 42 Democrats who support [Section 702] reauthorization ...

2026-06-04T19:32:14Z

"The 42 Democrats who support [Section 702] reauthorization need to explain who in Trump’s administration they trust with this power. FBI Director Kash Patel, whose agents are reportedly searching FBI databases to investigate journalists he doesn’t like?"

https://www.ms.now/opinion/trump-fisa-democrats-jim-himes-section-702

Police want to decide which journalists can cover the Delaney ...

2026-06-03T17:45:23Z

Police want to decide which journalists can cover the Delaney Hall protests in Newark, New Jersey.

But if an officer can point at someone and declare they are not press, the First Amendment ceases to have meaning.

Read more from FPF's Adam Rose:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/03/delaney-hall-new-jersey-protests-police

If Israel believes its actions can withstand scrutiny, it should ...

2026-06-03T16:02:05Z

If Israel believes its actions can withstand scrutiny, it should let journalists report freely.

Instead, it’s blacklisting foreign reporters and shutting them out entirely from Gaza.

https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/06/israeli-police-compile-dossiers-on-critical-foreign-journalists/

The New York Times’ Nick Kristof writes about the brutal sexual ...

2026-05-13T17:17:45Z

The New York Times’ Nick Kristof writes about the brutal sexual abuse, rape of male and female Palestinian prisoners, including journalists, by Israeli prison guards, soldiers, settlers, and interrogators — abuses funded in part by our U.S. tax dollars.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/opinion/israel-palestinians-sexual-violence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.T52l.wxbriZwoQyH4&smid=url-share

The dark days of unsecured text messages between iPhone and ...

2026-05-13T15:07:51Z

The dark days of unsecured text messages between iPhone and Android may be coming to an end. Apple and Google are enabling end-to-end encryption for RCS, which will secure chats across platforms.

Read more in our digital security newsletter (and subscribe)!

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/apple-google-introduce-cross-platform-secure-messaging/

Some people leave prison quieter. Others return determined to ...

2026-05-11T21:08:36Z

Some people leave prison quieter. Others return determined to speak out loud.

Read this moving article by Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, the journalist recently freed from a Kuwaiti prison after nearly two months behind bars.

https://ahmedeldin.substack.com/p/what-becomes-of-a-journalist-after

The FBI's probe into Atlantic magazine journalist Sarah ...

2026-05-06T16:44:11Z

The FBI's probe into Atlantic magazine journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick's reporting on Director Kash Patel shows complete disregard for the First Amendment and for the FBI’s supposed mission of stopping crime.

Read our statement:

https://freedom.press/issues/fbis-atlantic-probe-shows-complete-disregard-for-first-amendment/

It’s World Press Freedom Day this Sunday. Traditionally, ...

2026-05-01T17:39:31Z

It’s World Press Freedom Day this Sunday.

Traditionally, that’s when we call out foreign regimes for targeting journalists. But this year, the call is coming from inside our own (White) house instead.

https://freedom.press/issues/this-world-press-freedom-day-american-journalists-are-under-attack/

Since January 2025, the Trump admin has consistently targeted ...

2026-05-01T15:45:57Z

Since January 2025, the Trump admin has consistently targeted journalists for their reporting.

Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, we're urging the DOJ to drop charges against Georgia Fort and other journalists.

Read the letter we signed with Amnesty International:

https://www.amnestyusa.org/blog/civil-society-organizations-urge-doj-to-drop-charges-against-georgia-fort-and-other-members-of-the-press/

Journalists using agentic AI should probably know the risks of ...

2026-04-29T17:14:24Z

Journalists using agentic AI should probably know the risks of giving these tools far-reaching access to their systems.

Just ask a developer who used an agent … which then nuked his code and backups.

Read more in our newsletter, and subscribe.

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/wipe-your-own-code-now-with-agentic-ai/

The First Amendment and the FCC’s mandate do not permit the ...

2026-04-28T18:29:02Z

The First Amendment and the FCC’s mandate do not permit the agency to use broadcast licenses as weapons to punish broadcasters for constitutionally protected content they air.

Read our statement:

https://freedom.press/issues/fcc-plan-to-challenge-disney-broadcast-licenses-amounts-to-illegal-jawboning/

"If Kash Patel was looking to disprove Williamson's ...

2026-04-24T15:48:06Z

"If Kash Patel was looking to disprove Williamson's reporting about him using government resources for personal matters, siccing his agency on a reporter for retribution is a very strange way of doing it," FPF's Seth Stern said.

Read more in Reason:

https://reason.com/2026/04/23/the-fbis-alleged-probe-of-a-reporter-for-stalking-breaks-new-ground-in-criminalizing-journalism/

🔔 Tomorrow in Brooklyn: Join a conversation with ...

2026-04-22T15:20:11Z

🔔 Tomorrow in Brooklyn: Join a conversation with Electronic Frontier Foundation (npub1m24…d9a3) Executive Director Cindy Cohn and Anil Dash (npub16sj…va89) to learn about Cohn's new book, "Privacy's Defender."

📍 Brooklyn Central Library
10 Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11238

🗓️ April 23, 6 p.m. ET

https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/privacys-defender-central-library-info-20260423-0600pm#main-content

For journalists working on sensitive stories, location data can ...

2026-04-13T18:33:14Z

For journalists working on sensitive stories, location data can expose sources or tip off the agencies they’re investigating.

Watch this video to understand the risks and how to reduce them, and read our full guide below: https://freedom.press/limit-location-tracking

Using a VPN may subject Americans to warrantless government ...

2026-04-13T18:32:20Z

Using a VPN may subject Americans to warrantless government surveillance.

We need much more transparency — and stricter limitations on how the government can use this data to bypass Americans’ privacy rights.

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/vpn-surveillance-time-for-transparency-and-limits-on-spy-powers/

We hope the U.S. government is taking the kidnapping in Baghdad ...

2026-04-01T20:33:26Z

We hope the U.S. government is taking the kidnapping in Baghdad of U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson extremely seriously — and that statements blaming her for allegedly not heeding warnings are not an attempt to evade responsibility.

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/03/american-journalist-shelly-kittleson-abducted-iraq

The State Department should do everything in its power to secure ...

2026-04-01T18:02:13Z

The State Department should do everything in its power to secure the release of U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson — who was kidnapped in Baghdad Tuesday — without escalating the illegal war that may have endangered her in the first place.

https://cpj.org/2026/04/race-on-to-find-us-journalist-shelly-kittleson-kidnapped-in-iraq/amp/

Does using a VPN subject you to warrantless government spying? ...

2026-04-01T17:51:51Z

Does using a VPN subject you to warrantless government spying? Lawmakers are asking Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to disclose more information.

Learn about risk assessments and choosing the right VPN in our digital security newsletter (and subscribe):

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/vpn-use-may-cue-government-surveillance/

The Trump administration is working to create a database of ...

2026-03-31T19:45:39Z

The Trump administration is working to create a database of intimate details about every U.S. resident, which is "a giant honeypot for bad actors," FPF's Lauren Harper said on NPR's 1A.

If breached, it could cause an "identity theft nightmare."

Listen: https://the1a.org/segments/if-you-can-keep-it-privacy-protections-under-the-trump-administration/

The dangerous law known as FISA Section 702 is up for renewal in ...

2026-03-31T19:02:48Z

The dangerous law known as FISA Section 702 is up for renewal in Congress. It allows government to spy on Americans’ communications without a warrant.

Use our action center to tell Congress to reform Section 702 and end mass warrantless surveillance!

https://freedom.press/action/reform-section-702-end-mass-warrantless-surveillance/

A new bill from Sen. Wyden and Rep. Balint would give real teeth ...

2026-03-27T15:19:19Z

A new bill from Sen. Wyden and Rep. Balint would give real teeth to an important federal law meant to protect journalists from searches and raids.

We’re proud to endorse this update to the Privacy Protection Act.

https://freedom.press/issues/new-bill-would-fix-law-thats-failing-journalists/

If the Trump administration succeeds in chipping away at ...

2026-03-26T15:38:46Z

If the Trump administration succeeds in chipping away at constitutional protections for basic journalistic practices, "reporters who wish to do anything more than regime stenography may risk imprisonment."

Read more from FPF's Seth Stern in The Intercept (npub1s89…rdtv):

https://theintercept.com/2026/03/26/pentagon-reporters-first-amendment/

The Pentagon's revised policy adds "mostly meaningless ...

2026-03-24T21:38:53Z

The Pentagon's revised policy adds "mostly meaningless window dressing while retaining the core constitutional violation – subjecting journalists to punishment for doing their jobs," FPF's Seth Stern said.

Read more in The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/mar/24/pentagon-correspondents-press-restrictions

The government says journalists and sources who are living in the ...

2026-03-24T18:31:26Z

The government says journalists and sources who are living in the United States illegally don’t have First Amendment rights.

But the First Amendment was written to limit government power, not let officials decide whose voices are worth hearing.

https://freedom.press/issues/no-first-amendment-for-some-immigrant-journalists-or-sources-govt-says/

"Thanks to opposition from inside his own party, House ...

2026-03-23T19:31:18Z

"Thanks to opposition from inside his own party, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was forced to delay a vote on President Donald Trump’s request to extend a major domestic spying law — but Democrats could ride to the rescue."

https://theintercept.com/2026/03/23/trump-domestic-spying-fisa-702-democrats/

The Supreme Court's refusal to intervene here is an absolute ...

2026-03-23T15:13:59Z

The Supreme Court's refusal to intervene here is an absolute travesty for press freedom rights.

Check out EFF Executive Director (and longtime FPF legal counsel) ...

2026-03-20T16:01:11Z

Check out EFF Executive Director (and longtime FPF legal counsel) Cindy Cohn's new book, "Privacy's Defender," to learn about her 30-year fight against digital surveillance.

Buy it here: https://www.eff.org/Privacys-Defender

This is a great way for journalists without the budget to sue to ...

2026-03-19T13:13:15Z

This is a great way for journalists without the budget to sue to deal with FOIA stonewalling.

Report the news you’re able to report and explain why the gov’s bad faith stopped you from reporting more. Don’t let them off the hook without public shaming.

https://moniqueomadan.substack.com/p/i-asked-why-immigration-officers?r=7lfp1&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

Law enforcement typically issues a warrant to telecom providers ...

2026-03-18T17:03:10Z

Law enforcement typically issues a warrant to telecom providers for access to customer location “tower dump” data. Now we have learned Customs and Border Protection purchased location data based on ad IDs.

Read more in our weekly digital security newsletter, and subscribe.

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/cbp-bought-ad-location-data-for-surveillance/

The NSA kept illegally spying on Americans for years after ...

2026-03-18T14:54:02Z

The NSA kept illegally spying on Americans for years after Snowden blew the whistle, according to a FOIA release.

This is exactly why Section 702, an easily abused warrantless surveillance authority, needs reform.

Time for Congress to stand up to the intel community and protect our privacy.

https://www.pogo.org/investigates/declassified-report-reveals-nsa-broke-surveillance-rules

This Sunshine Week investigation from Nate Jones shows just how ...

2026-03-16T14:07:36Z

This Sunshine Week investigation from Nate Jones shows just how badly Trump's cuts have decimated FOIA offices, with attorneys at over a dozen agencies saying downsizing has prevented them from complying with the law.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/03/15/foia-trump-job-cuts-doge/

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Pentagon excluded ...

2026-03-13T18:34:04Z

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

Pentagon excluded photojournalists from news briefings at its Washington, D.C.-area headquarters March 4 and March 10.

The Washington Post reported the decision came after staff complained about “unflattering” photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photographers-barred-from-pentagon-briefings-after-unflattering-photos/

The Espionage Act has been used to criminalize whistleblowers and ...

2026-03-12T18:20:48Z

The Espionage Act has been used to criminalize whistleblowers and journalists for years.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s landmark reform bill, the Daniel Ellsberg Act, aims to stop exactly that.

Watch Lauren Harper.bsky.social and learn how you can take action: https://freedom.press/ellsberg-act/

ICE abductions of noncitizen journalists like Estefany Rodríguez ...

2026-03-11T19:08:13Z

ICE abductions of noncitizen journalists like Estefany Rodríguez "take the reporters best equipped to cover immigration enforcement off the beat," we told The Independent.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/estefany-rodriguez-florez-ice-arrest-nashville-b2933760.html

"This policy change is illegal," said Ginger ...

2026-03-11T15:51:14Z

"This policy change is illegal," said Ginger Quintero-McCall, a public interest lawyer who represents FPF.

"It would not surprise me at all to learn that the administration reassigned employees who objected to this illegal policy of secrecy."

https://www.wired.com/story/cbp-privacy-threshold-analysis-foia/

Proton Mail is great for end-to-end encrypted emails, but as a ...

2026-03-11T15:22:04Z

Proton Mail is great for end-to-end encrypted emails, but as a recent story of an unmasked user highlights, it must comply with Swiss authorities — who may share user data with allies.

Read our newsletter to learn about what it can and can’t protect.

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/proton-mail-is-not-for-anonymity/

NEW: For years, our loyal supporters have asked: Besides ...

2026-03-10T19:08:12Z

NEW: For years, our loyal supporters have asked: Besides donating, how can we help you defend press freedom?

Well, now you can with our brand new action center — the tool enables you to seamlessly contact your elected representatives.

Take action today:

https://freedom.press/action/

ICE has detained yet another journalist, Estefany Rodríguez. If ...

2026-03-09T15:57:00Z

ICE has detained yet another journalist, Estefany Rodríguez.

If you're a journalist reporting on ICE and want more information about how to protect against potential retaliation against you or your sources, listen back to our event from last year with leading journalists on the immigration beat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPPo0YzKfnA

The Espionage Act has been used to criminalize whistleblowing and ...

2026-03-06T18:43:56Z

The Espionage Act has been used to criminalize whistleblowing and newsgathering for years.

Join us for a webinar to learn about Rep. Rashida Tlaib's bill to reform the archaic law.

🗓️ March 12, 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT

RSVP: https://freedom.press/reform-espionage-act

Daniel Schuman is right, “We should be able to clearly see and ...

2026-03-06T18:05:25Z

Daniel Schuman is right, “We should be able to clearly see and understand who is donating” to presidential libraries and foundations.

But we can't, and the secrecy is a breeding ground for "graft and propaganda."

https://www.notus.org/money/presidential-libraries-fundraising-donors

The seizure of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson's ...

2026-03-06T17:25:58Z

The seizure of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson's devices likely killed far more stories than any court order ever could.

Judge Porter should've done more to punish prosecutors, but he was right to call the raid what it was — a prior restraint.

https://freedom.press/issues/a-judge-finally-called-a-newsroom-raid-what-it-is/

We don’t yet know if Estefany Rodríguez’s detention was in ...

2026-03-06T00:42:24Z

We don’t yet know if Estefany Rodríguez’s detention was in retaliation for her reporting but we certainly wouldn’t be surprised.

ICE abductions of noncitizen journalists take the reporters best equipped to cover immigration enforcement off the beat.

https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/03/05/journalist-estefanty-rodriguez-ice-detention-colombia/

For nearly a year, DHS tried to keep secret that it had killed a ...

2026-03-05T22:03:17Z

For nearly a year, DHS tried to keep secret that it had killed a U.S. citizen.

Then came a FOIA request from American Oversight.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/03/05/texas-dhs-shooting-citizen-killed/

"It does not take a scholar of legal ethics to conclude that ...

2026-02-27T20:24:06Z

"It does not take a scholar of legal ethics to conclude that government lawyers should not be allowed to make up a violent and organized terrorist invasion of a major American city."

Read about our bar complaint:

https://freedom.press/issues/doj-lawyer-falsely-cited-terrorism-to-justify-press-freedom-violations/

“I would like to say that the best encryption is the noisy bar ...

2026-02-20T17:26:32Z

“I would like to say that the best encryption is the noisy bar where you're whispering to somebody. But we always do have to think about surveillance architecture, which is incredibly prevalent,” FPF's Harlo Holmes told Wired (npub192u…ccwj).

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-organize-safely-in-the-age-of-surveillance/

A must-read report from CPJ: "We returned from hell": ...

2026-02-19T22:39:55Z

A must-read report from CPJ: "We returned from hell": Palestinian journalists recount torture in Israeli prisons

"58 Palestinian journalists reported being subjected to what they described as torture, abuse, or other forms of violence in Israeli detention facilities."

https://cpj.org/special-reports/we-returned-from-hell-palestinian-journalists-recount-torture-in-israeli-prisons/

“Unpaywalling” is good not only for democracy but for ...

2026-02-17T17:35:49Z

“Unpaywalling” is good not only for democracy but for business.

Hear more about the importance of dropping paywalls with FPF board member John Cusack and FPF Chief of Advocacy Seth Stern on WBEZ:

https://www.wbez.org/in-the-loop-with-sasha-ann-simons/2026/02/16/hate-paywalls-so-does-john-cusack

ICE is now saying that revealing its new office locations is a ...

2026-02-10T18:31:22Z

ICE is now saying that revealing its new office locations is a "national security concern."

It's not.

https://www.wired.com/story/ice-expansion-across-us-at-heres-where-its-going-next/

The immigration case against Rümyesa Öztürk is over, and ...

2026-02-10T15:06:49Z

The immigration case against Rümyesa Öztürk is over, and rightfully so.

Writing an op-ed is protected speech, not a deportable offense.

Now, the administration must be held accountable for abusing the immigration system to punish expression.

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/immigration-court-drops-case-against-tufts-student-rumeysa-ozturk-72033590

❣️ We go together like passwords and two-factor ...

2026-02-09T18:12:49Z

❣️ We go together like passwords and two-factor authentication!

Accounts need a little love? Check out our guides below.

#ValentinesDay

🔗 https://freedom.press/digisec/guides/online-account-security/

"Without leaks we wouldn't know about ICE claiming ...

2026-02-06T19:32:46Z

"Without leaks we wouldn't know about ICE claiming authority to enter homes without warrants, DHS baselessly labeling protesters as domestic terrorists," or "ICE surveillance tools pulling from vast pools of data," FPF's Seth Stern told Axios.

https://www.axios.com/2026/02/06/trump-media-leaks-journalist-sources

ICE watchers with cell phones are just as vital to accountability ...

2026-02-05T16:35:42Z

ICE watchers with cell phones are just as vital to accountability journalism as old-school whistleblowers.

Shooting, killing and otherwise targeting them is an attack on press freedom and transparency.

https://freedom.press/issues/alex-prettis-murder-was-an-attack-on-press-freedom/

DHS says filming ICE is illegal and amounts to doxxing. They’re ...

2026-02-04T20:33:31Z

DHS says filming ICE is illegal and amounts to doxxing.
They’re absolutely wrong.

Recording law enforcement in public spaces is protected by the First Amendment — and courts have affirmed that right time and again.

Watch our executive director Trevor Timm explain.

ICE wants to buy data from online ads to spy on people. They say ...

2026-02-04T15:21:53Z

ICE wants to buy data from online ads to spy on people.

They say they don’t need a warrant. Congress could say they do. Time to pass the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act.

https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/27/ice_data_advertising_tech_firms/

DHS calls whistleblowers a “threat to national security.” But ...

2026-02-03T22:35:45Z

DHS calls whistleblowers a “threat to national security.”

But without leaks to the press, the public wouldn’t know that ICE is entering homes without warrants, labeling protesters “domestic terrorists,” building mass surveillance tools with Big Tech, or pushing propaganda.

https://freedom.press/issues/dhs-calls-leaks-a-threat-heres-what-we-wouldnt-know-without-them/

"Unfortunately, there is no way to film 'safely' ...

2026-02-02T21:09:02Z

"Unfortunately, there is no way to film 'safely' right now — I think everybody may be taking a risk because of how aggressive and brazen and outright illegal ICE’s conduct has been," FPF's Trevor Timm told WIRED.

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-film-ice/

Journalists should "disable biometrics when they expect to be ...

2026-01-30T17:16:35Z

Journalists should "disable biometrics when they expect to be in a situation where they expect a possible search," FPF's Martin (npub19gw…7ql4) told The Intercept (npub1s89…rdtv).

https://theintercept.com/2026/01/30/washington-post-hannah-natanson-fbi-biometrics-unlock-phone/

Following the recent raid of a Washington Post journalist’s ...

2026-01-28T22:59:59Z

Following the recent raid of a Washington Post journalist’s home, our digital security training team walks through what journalists can do to lower risk to their most sensitive data in anticipation of seizure, loss, or theft.

Our newest advice column:

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/advice-column-getting-ahead-of-device-snatchers/

ICE watchers with cell phones are just as vital to accountability ...

2026-01-27T18:41:42Z

“A young, 20-something guy will never have sight again in one ...

2026-01-22T17:53:23Z

“A young, 20-something guy will never have sight again in one of his eyes because of the actions of LAPD. His crime? Taking a photograph?” FPF's Adam Rose tells Kate Cagle on Spectrum News 1.

“The reality is that these munitions cause life-altering injuries.”

Handling leaked documents from a whistleblower? There may be ...

2026-01-20T22:16:00Z

Handling leaked documents from a whistleblower?

There may be hidden data in those files that could identify your source.

Learn more about risks and remediation for file metadata.

https://freedom.press/digisec/blog/everything-you-wanted-know-about-media-metadata-were-afraid-ask/

Happy 25th birthday to Wikipedia, the global encyclopedia built ...

2026-01-15T14:40:57Z

Happy 25th birthday to Wikipedia, the global encyclopedia built on free speech.

https://freedom.press/issues/wikipedias-25th-birthday-proves-the-power-of-free-speech/

The FBI's raid of the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah ...

2026-01-14T19:07:27Z

The FBI's raid of the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson Wednesday is an alarming escalation in the Trump administration’s multipronged war on press freedom.

Read our statement:

https://freedom.press/issues/fbi-ignores-federal-law-to-raid-journalists-home/

BREAKING: Trump admin raids Washington Post reporter’s home, ...

2026-01-14T14:57:51Z

BREAKING: Trump admin raids Washington Post reporter’s home, reportedly over classified documents.

If true, this would be a serious violation of press freedom and a disturbing escalation in Trump’s war on the First Amendment.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/us/politics/fbi-washington-post-journalist.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Journalist Seth Harp's reporting on Maduro's abduction is ...

2026-01-13T20:01:35Z

Journalist Seth Harp's reporting on Maduro's abduction is protected by the First Amendment and Congress has no business grilling him about his sources.

We, alongside 22 other rights orgs, are calling to rescind a subpoena for his testimony.

Read more:

https://www.rightsanddissent.org/news/press-freedom-groups-demand-congress-rescind-subpoena-of-investigative-journalist/

DHS claimed four times it had “no documents” in response to ...

2026-01-09T22:18:53Z

DHS claimed four times it had “no documents” in response to FPF records requests.

This raises "serious questions about whether the agency is saving its documents anymore, much less creating them," FPF's Lauren Harper writes in The Intercept.

https://theintercept.com/2026/01/09/dhs-kristi-noem-ice-bodycam-records-foia/

Journalists are often trained to avoid becoming part of the ...

2026-01-07T23:30:51Z

Journalists are often trained to avoid becoming part of the story. But when you can’t tell the story, you ARE the story!

If you are a journalist — or know one — who has been attacked or seriously threatened in the course of reporting, let us know.

Email us at tips@pressfreedomtracker.us

President Trump hasn’t lost a penny because of the BBC’s ...

2025-12-16T17:04:32Z

President Trump hasn’t lost a penny because of the BBC’s editing, and his $10 billion lawsuit against them is preposterous.

The only way for the BBC to preserve its journalistic integrity is to fight back.

Read our statement:

https://freedom.press/issues/trumps-bbc-lawsuit-is-nonsense-like-his-others/

ICE said it found no records in response to our FOIA for ...

2025-12-11T19:27:21Z

ICE said it found no records in response to our FOIA for body-worn camera footage from Operation Midway Blitz.

We’re pursuing our options to get to the bottom of it — and send ICE a clear message: It's not the secret police or exempt from accountability.

https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/ice-claims-no-body-camera-footage-from-chicago-in-response-to-fpf-foia/

DHS says Kristi Noem has no Truth Social messages, in response to ...

2025-12-09T21:59:35Z

DHS says Kristi Noem has no Truth Social messages, in response to our FOIA request.

That sounds like BS, especially since President Trump sends his cabinet officials messages on the social platform.

We’re appealing the dubious response.

https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/dhs-says-noem-has-no-truth-social-dms-that-sounds-like-bs/

Threatening to punish app stores if they don’t remove apps the ...

2025-12-09T14:31:34Z

Threatening to punish app stores if they don’t remove apps the government dislikes is unconstitutional.This time it’s ICEBlock, but tomorrow it could be a news app.

Good for ICEBlock for standing up for everyone’s First Amendment rights.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/08/tech/iceblock-creator-sues-trump-officials-apple-removal