Alright, my dear friends, let’s have a natter about something a smidge more serious than the usual topics. It’s about journalism, freedom of speech, and the nifty little law they call the PRESS Act. It’s a rather important bit of federal legislature across the pond in America and something I’d like to discuss further.
The story is this: The American Senate has just a few weeks left to pass the PRESS Act. The House has already given it the unanimous thumbs up – rather unusual, considering the usual state of affairs – but it’s been left twiddling its thumbs in the Senate, waiting for a final vote.
Now, you may be asking, ‘What’s all this PRESS Act business about?’ Well, it’s quite significant indeed. It would establish nationwide protections for journalists all around the United States – isn’t that something? Journalists wouldn’t be obliged to identify or spill the beans on their confidential sources, except of course, in emergency cases, such as preventing some dark deed of terrorism – which I think we can all agree is rather sensible.
There’s more to this PRESS Act than just that. It also provides some additional protections, like imposing limits on the kind of records that the government can stealthily nab from journalists. Or for that matter, their email or phone providers that could spill the identity of their sources. This too has a narrow set of exceptions for, you guessed it, emergency threats.
Feeling inspired to get involved? Well, over there, the ACLU has a neat webpage that allows you to send a message to your senator. Alternatively, you can drop them a good old-fashioned email or telephone call, urging them to vote for the PRESS Act.
Now, as many of you are already aware, people often share secretive bits and bobs with us here at DataBreaches. Information that certain people in high places wouldn’t mind getting their hands on. A robust shield law like the PRESS Act can make a world of difference between a journalist having the legal leg to stand on to resist government demands to reveal our sources or not.
Our friend Zack here rightly points out that sometimes, journalists will have to play ball. There are some situations in which they can’t refuse, but to prevent the government from overstepping, harassing, or even prosecuting journalists out of spite, we need laws like the PRESS Act.
In short, it’s vital that we support this cause and protect the freedom of press and information security because, after all, a world where journalists are free to do their work without constantly looking over their shoulder is a world benefiting us all.
by Parker Bytes
