Nostr notes by Freedom of the Press

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

We wrote for Jacobin about our recent panel with three U.S. ...

2025-12-03T15:20:55Z

We wrote for Jacobin about our recent panel with three U.S. journalists who were aboard the Gaza aid flotillas.

They described facing assaults and threats from Israeli soldiers — and said the U.S. government did little to help.

https://jacobin.com/2025/12/gaza-journalists-flotilla-israeli-abuse

Journalists should never be arrested for doing their jobs. ...

2025-11-25T14:47:55Z

Journalists should never be arrested for doing their jobs.

Prosecutors in Miami-Dade County must immediately drop the charges against photojournalist Dave Decker, and police should apologize for arresting him for doing nothing more than working to keep the public informed.

https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-arrested-at-miami-immigration-protest-gear-seized/

No president should have the power to silence journalists or ...

2025-11-24T15:07:51Z

No president should have the power to silence journalists or control who gets to question them.

Good for the AP for refusing to back down. Others should follow their example.

https://apnews.com/article/associated-press-free-speech-white-house-a1d29b0efc3dc2c0176c7be2471f2a3b

DHS is abusing its authority to shut down ICE-watching accounts. ...

2025-11-24T15:02:42Z

DHS is abusing its authority to shut down ICE-watching accounts.

Reporting on public ICE activity is protected by the First Amendment. It’s also something journalists do routinely.

Senator Wyden is right to call out this attack on the First Amendment.

https://theintercept.com/2025/11/21/wyden-noem-dhs-customs-unmask-social-media/

“It looks like these officers believe transparency itself is ...

2025-11-20T22:09:27Z

“It looks like these officers believe transparency itself is obstructive to their operations, which is a pretty good indicator that their operations are in need of obstruction … The First Amendment is intended to obstruct government abuses.”

https://freedom.press/issues/immigration-agents-claim-routine-reporting-violates-federal-law/

So we went from feigned outrage about allegedly biased public ...

2025-11-20T15:09:49Z

So we went from feigned outrage about allegedly biased public media to the president making deals with centibillionaire friends to make corporate media more biased. Got it.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/20/warner-bros-discovery-takeover-paramount-skydance-larry-ellison

Mohammed bin Salman should be in a courthouse facing justice for ...

2025-11-18T17:31:48Z

Mohammed bin Salman should be in a courthouse facing justice for ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Instead, he's at the White House.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-saudi-crown-prince-mbs-505b32527e58d4bd49d5bc917efb4936

LA press rights lawyer Susan Seager: "Cops are banned from ...

2025-11-14T15:12:45Z

LA press rights lawyer Susan Seager: "Cops are banned from shooting non-violent people with deadly projectiles — whether they’re protesters or journalists. Because it’s illegal."

https://www.dailynews.com/2025/11/12/larry-wilson-stop-shooting-at-the-press-while-we-do-our-little-jobs/

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Update: Marion County, ...

2025-11-13T16:14:31Z

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

Update: Marion County, Kansas, agreed Nov. 10 to pay more than $3 million for its role in a raid on the Marion County Record newsroom in 2023.

https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/newsroom-personal-equipment-seized-in-kansas-raid/

Police and judges need a refresher on the First Amendment. ...

2025-11-12T16:43:27Z

Police and judges need a refresher on the First Amendment.

Kansas’ Marion County just provided the syllabus — the expensive way.

https://freedom.press/issues/kansas-county-pays-3m-for-forgetting-the-first-amendment/

ICE isn’t letting the government shutdown stop it from tearing ...

2025-11-07T18:19:00Z

ICE isn’t letting the government shutdown stop it from tearing apart communities.

So FPF won’t let a shutdown stop us from suing to force transparency.

Our latest FOIA suit gets at the heart of ICE’s efforts to restrict congressional access to its detention centers.

https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/fpf-takes-ice-to-court-over-dangerous-secrecy/

When your local reporter needs the same protection as a war ...

2025-11-07T16:40:46Z

When your local reporter needs the same protection as a war correspondent

Check out this story by Michelle Zenarosa in Poynter:

https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2025/la-public-press-journalists-covering-ice-raids-safety/

YouTube quietly erased more than 700 videos documenting Israeli ...

2025-11-07T15:47:42Z

YouTube quietly erased more than 700 videos documenting Israeli human rights violations: "A capitulation to Trump sanctions"

Read more in this The Intercept (npub1s89…rdtv) story by Nikita Mazurov and Jonah Valdez

https://theintercept.com/2025/11/04/youtube-google-israel-palestine-human-rights-censorship/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The%20Intercept%20Newsletter

It’s impossible for journalists to do their work without ...

2025-11-05T22:05:29Z

It’s impossible for journalists to do their work without opening attachments and we’re here to make sure the attachments you open are malware-free.

Help give feedback on our newest dangerzone (npub1nma…e0mg) release by downloading and testing it.

Check out the latest features and let the team know what you think!

https://dangerzone.rocks/news/2025-11-03-0.10.0-call-for-testing/

Shutting down the government doesn't shut down the First ...

2025-10-30T17:38:18Z

Shutting down the government doesn't shut down the First Amendment.

It's absurd to exclude reporters from immigration hearings absent government permission, especially when it's impossible to obtain permission, and especially when the current government despises First Amendment freedoms.

https://cnsmaryland.org/2025/10/28/local-immigration-court-ousts-reporters-from-hearings/

When @npub192u…ccwj made FOIA-based stories free, subscriptions ...

2025-10-30T17:35:33Z

When Wired (npub192u…ccwj) made FOIA-based stories free, subscriptions went up.

When 404 Media (npub1psa…j5uh) published public records reporting without a paywall, new sources came forward.

We spoke to both about why dropping paywalls like this is good for journalism — and for business.

https://freedom.press/issues/wired-and-404-media-make-foia-reporting-free-other-news-outlets-should-too/

Indiana University ordered its student-run newspaper to cease all ...

2025-10-29T14:53:19Z

Indiana University ordered its student-run newspaper to cease all print publication Oct. 15, less than one day after the administration fired the student newspaper’s adviser.

https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/indiana-university-orders-student-paper-to-stop-printing-after-firing-adviser/

The detention by ICE of British journalist and commentator Sami ...

2025-10-28T13:55:32Z

The detention by ICE of British journalist and commentator Sami Hamdi solely for his views while on a speaking tour in the U.S. is a blatant assault on free speech.

These are the tactics of the Thought Police.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/26/ice-detains-british-muslim-journalist-laura-loomer

"Instead of holding the [LAPD] accountable, the city is ...

2025-10-17T15:01:12Z

"Instead of holding the [LAPD] accountable, the city is spending even more money to hire an outside law firm so they can effectively beg a judge for permission to keep assaulting journalists for just doing their job," FPF's Adam Rose told LAist.

https://laist.com/news/politics/lapd-use-of-force-against-press-no-kings-protests

📣 Are you a journalist or a newsroom leader looking for ...

2025-10-16T17:22:56Z

📣 Are you a journalist or a newsroom leader looking for digital security training or advice?

We’re here to help protect you, your devices, and your sources, whether you’re a freelancer or a newsroom of any size.

Get in touch with us and we’ll get back to you with a personalized response:

https://freedom.press/digisec/programs/request-our-services

So much for Facebook's renewed commitment to free speech. And ...

2025-10-15T16:13:44Z

So much for Facebook's renewed commitment to free speech.

And so much for this administration's condemnation of social media censorship.

How long will it be before the DOJ demands platforms remove news reporting on ICE?

https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/10/14/facebook-suspends-popular-ice-sightings-group-at-trump-administrations-request

A federal court just blocked a ridiculous law that banned almost ...

2025-10-15T15:14:38Z

A federal court just blocked a ridiculous law that banned almost all speech on public college campuses in Texas after 10 p.m., including student journalism.

Huge win by FIRE defending the First Amendment.

Free speech doesn’t have a curfew.

https://www.thefire.org/news/victory-federal-court-halts-texas-no-first-amendment-after-dark-campus-speech-ban

🚨 PSA: Do you have information to share with news outlets that ...

2025-10-14T17:51:18Z

🚨 PSA: Do you have information to share with news outlets that have lost access to report from the Pentagon?

You can share it while protecting your anonymity using SecureDrop (npub1vvy…4kzm):

A new bill that recently passed the Senate will let members of ...

2025-10-10T14:16:25Z

A new bill that recently passed the Senate will let members of Congress censor information about themselves online.

The result is easy to predict: suppression of the press from reporting about Congress.

Check out this op-ed from FPF's Caitlin Vogus:

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2025/10/10/flawed-bill-would-sacrifice-speech-for-a-false-sense-of-security/

The hate crime charge against Alexa Wilkinson for photographing ...

2025-10-03T19:44:16Z

The hate crime charge against Alexa Wilkinson for photographing vandalism of the New York Times building is a dangerous precedent, no matter what you think of Wilkinson.

https://freedom.press/issues/journalist-or-not-photography-isnt-a-hate-crime/

"That somebody might use the app to break the law doesn't ...

2025-10-02T19:15:20Z

"That somebody might use the app to break the law doesn't mean the app can be banned any more than a newspaper ... because someone might use its reporting in a manner that the administration considers unlawful," FPF's Seth Stern told BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lxwxnnx2zo

Alongside 404 Media, we sued DHS demanding they hand over a copy ...

2025-10-01T20:33:08Z

Alongside 404 Media, we sued DHS demanding they hand over a copy of an agreement that shares the personal data of nearly 80 million Medicaid patients with ICE.

We believe it’s important for the public to see this unprecedented data sharing agreement.

https://www.404media.co/404-media-and-freedom-of-the-press-foundation-sue-dhs/

"It’s not the journalists’ burden to keep the ...

2025-10-01T19:51:42Z

"It’s not the journalists’ burden to keep the government’s secrets for it," Seth Stern told Columbia Journalism Review. "That is the opposite of the press’s job, which is to tell the public what the government doesn’t want the public told."

https://www.cjr.org/news/pentagon-press-corps-hegseth-pledge.php

The Senate apparently believes that members of Congress deserve ...

2025-10-01T16:05:02Z

The Senate apparently believes that members of Congress deserve privacy protections, but not regular Americans.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/30/ted-cruz-blocks-bill-that-would-extend-privacy-protections-to-all-americans/

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Three journalists were ...

2025-09-30T20:05:50Z

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

Three journalists were assaulted by federal officers while reporting outside the immigration court at NYC’s Federal Plaza this morning.

One of the journalists, L. Vural Elibol of Anadolu Agency, struck his head and has been hospitalized.

https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/turkish-journalist-hospitalized-after-assault-at-nyc-immigration-court/

BREAKING: The D.C. Court of Appeals has rejected award-winning ...

2025-09-30T15:32:35Z

BREAKING: The D.C. Court of Appeals has rejected award-winning journalist Catherine Herridge's bid to protect her sources via reporter's privilege.

This is a significant blow to press freedom for all journalists.

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker: Journalist and co-founder of ...

2025-09-29T18:50:22Z

From the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

Journalist and co-founder of Unraveled Press Raven Geary was one of several members of the press shot with crowd-control munitions while reporting outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Friday:

https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/journalist-shot-in-the-face-with-pepper-ball-at-illinois-ice-facility-protest/

Two journalists are set to be tried in Kentucky this week. Their ...

2025-09-29T13:46:18Z

Two journalists are set to be tried in Kentucky this week.

Their crime? Covering a protest of the immigration detainment of Ayman Soliman, who himself fled persecution for his journalism in Egypt. Soliman’s lawyer called it a “cruel irony.”

https://www.cjr.org/news/madeline-fening-lucas-griffith-cincinnati-citybeat-journalists-arrested.php

📩 Read in our weekly newsletter (and subscribe): - Journalist ...

2025-09-26T20:38:39Z

📩 Read in our weekly newsletter (and subscribe):

- Journalist Mario Guevara, facing deportation, deserves same energy as Kimmel
- How noncitizen journalists can prepare for ICE
- Drop charges against Cincinnati journalists
- Plus, what we're reading...

https://freedom.press/issues/mobilize-for-mario-guevara-like-you-did-for-jimmy-kimmel/

Jimmy Kimmel's worst case scenario was moving from prime time ...

2025-09-26T20:24:26Z

Jimmy Kimmel's worst case scenario was moving from prime time to a podcast. Mario Guevara's is being shipped to El Salvador and facing more of the persecution he fled 20 years ago.

If that happens, the chilling effect will be impossible to measure.

https://freedom.press/issues/americans-rallied-for-kimmel-its-time-to-do-the-same-for-mario-guevara/

Your kitchen cabinets? A national security threat. Your favorite ...

2025-09-26T18:03:52Z

Your kitchen cabinets? A national security threat.

Your favorite movie? Also a national security threat.

Your favorite cocktail? Possibly also a national security threat.

Here’s our current top five list of the dumbest things officials have done, or kept secret, ostensibly to protect national security.

https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/your-kitchen-cabinets-are-a-national-security-threat/

"Security experts at several news organizations told me they ...

2025-09-24T15:53:23Z

"Security experts at several news organizations told me they are increasingly concerned about the risk of physical harm."

Read Joel Simon on some simple steps news orgs can take to protect their journalists:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/security-risk-assessment-times-trump-safety.php

Trump’s EO labeling antifa a “domestic terrorist ...

2025-09-24T14:24:12Z

Trump’s EO labeling antifa a “domestic terrorist organization” can and will be used to threaten journalists and sources.

Journalists who cover antifa or report on ICE must now risk being accused of “terrorism.”

The EO is illegal, but it still chills speech. The intimidation is the point.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5516744-antifa-domestic-terrorism-order-trump/amp/

“Journalists have every right to cover protests and their ...

2025-09-23T19:38:02Z

“Journalists have every right to cover protests and their aftermath, and when police disperse protestors, it does not mean they can disperse and arrest journalists doing their constitutionally protected jobs,” FPF's Seth Stern told Link nky.

https://linknky.com/news/2025/09/23/prosecutors-urged-to-dismiss-charges-against-journalists-arrested-on-roebling-bridge/

Absolutely horrific. Israel continues to murder journalists in ...

2025-09-19T19:12:01Z

Absolutely horrific.

Israel continues to murder journalists in all directions with complete impunity, including this latest attack in which it killed 31 journalists in Yemen.

This marks the deadliest single attack on the press in 16 years, per CPJ.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/09/19/yemen-journalists-strike-israel-houthis

"We've seen [Trump] sue ABC, CBS, he's sued the Des ...

2025-09-18T19:09:41Z

"We've seen [Trump] sue ABC, CBS, he's sued the Des Moines Register and now he's sued the Times. This is something he has done over and over again anytime he is confronted with independent reporting he doesn't like," Caitlin Vogus told Erie News Now.

https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/53091468/potential-chilling-effect-on-journalism-following-trumps-dollar15-billion-defamation-lawsuit-against-the-new-york-times

Texas outlawed talking on campuses after 10 p.m. Students are ...

2025-09-15T21:23:01Z

Texas outlawed talking on campuses after 10 p.m. Students are fighting back.

Check out this op-ed from FPF Senior Adviser Caitlin Vogus in the Houston Chronicle:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/texas-law-lawsuit-speech-talking-college-campus-21045316.php