As police seize Newsnight laptop, concerns grow at reach of UK counter-terrorism measures
For journalists investigating jihadist networks, the UK is proving to be no safe haven. British police used special powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 in August to seize the laptop of Secunder Kermani, a reporter for BBC Two’s flagship news show “Newsnight,” according to reports. “They required the BBC to hand over communication between the…
Surveillance forces journalists to think and act like spies
Once upon a time, a journalist never gave up a confidential source. When someone comes forward, anonymously, to inform the public, it’s better to risk time incarcerated than give them up. This ethical responsibility was also a practical and professional necessity. If you promise anonymity, you’re obliged to deliver. If you can’t keep your word,…
China’s Great Cannon: New weapon to suppress free speech online
China, rated as the eighth most censored country in the world, in a report released by CPJ today, has long had a strong line of defense against free speech online. Its Golden Shield Project, launched by the Ministry of Public Security in 1998, relies on a combination of technology and personnel to control what can…
Classifying media and encryption as a threat is danger to press freedom
The U.K. prides itself on its commitment to free expression, but the latest revelations of surveillance of journalists and calls by Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, to ban secure messaging belie the country’s drift toward a more restrictive environment for the press. The revelations further underscore the threat surveillance by Western democracies poses to journalism,…
Eight days in Hong Kong: Laura Poitras on documenting Snowden for ‘Citizenfour’
The world premiere of Laura Poitras’s highly anticipated documentary “CITIZENFOUR” at the New York Film Festival occurred with the appropriate amount of intrigue for a film about last year’s dramatic revelations of the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs. The press and premiere screenings were clocked to begin simultaneously on Friday so no breaking news could…
One year after CPJ’s US report, little has changed between Obama and press
After a summer plagued by war and disease abroad and partisan fighting at home, it was not hard to fathom why President Barack Obama would yearn for a retreat. But from which of the mounting crises did the president hope to escape: Ukraine? Islamic State? Ebola? The Tea Party? None of the above, according to…
Australia’s national security bills threaten press freedom
New York, September 30, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists said it is gravely concerned by a national security-related bill in Australia, which could result in prison time of up to 10 years for journalists who report on intelligence. The National Security Reform Bill One was passed in the upper house on Thursday and would become…
New bill in Australia targeting intelligence raises concern
New York, July 17, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a bill introduced in the Australian parliament on Wednesday that could result in journalists being targeted for prosecution and jail for reporting on intelligence information.
A year after Snowden revelations, damage persists to freedom of expression in Pakistan
In Pakistan, where freedom of expression is largely perceived as a Western notion, the Snowden revelations have had a damaging effect. The deeply polarized narrative has become starker as the corridors of power push back on attempts to curb government surveillance. “If the citizens of the United States of America cannot have these rights, how…