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Press Freedom in the Swing States: The Climate for U.S. Journalism Ahead of the 2024 Election
The report examines the situation in Arizona, Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania across five categories — political, legal, socio-cultural, economic, and safety — using a survey completed by journalists and media experts in each state.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) — 4 November 2024 -
“Why Do They Hate Us So Much?” Discriminatory Censorship Laws Harm Education in Florida
Since 2021, Florida has issued laws and policies that censor and distort the curriculum and educational environment of K-12 classrooms in ways inconsistent with international human rights standards on education, access to information, and discrimination.
Human Rights Watch — 20 June 2024 -
Privacy First: A Better Way to Address Online Harms
In this report, EFF explores a new approach to tackling online harms leaving behind strategies based on ill-conceived bills and censorship-driven solutions.
Electronic Frontier Foundation — 15 November 2023 -
Shouting into the void: Why reporting abuse to social media platforms is so hard and how to fix it
When PEN America and Meedan asked writers, journalists, and creators about their experiences reporting online abuse to social media platforms, thet heard again and again, over the past three years, about the deep frustration, exasperation, and harm caused by the reporting mechanisms themselves.
PEN America — 25 October 2023 -
Booklash: Literary Freedom, Online Outrage, and the Language of Harm
PEN America warns that social media blowback and societal outrage are imposing new moral litmus tests on books and authors, chilling literary expression and fueling a dangerous trend of self-censorship that is shrinking writers’ creative freedom and imagination.
PEN America — 16 August 2023 -
Educational gag orders: Legislative restrictions on the freedom to read, learn, and teach
Between January and September 2021, 24 legislatures across the United States introduced 54 separate bills intended to restrict teaching and training in K-12 schools, higher education, and state agencies and institutions. The majority of these bills target discussions of race, racism, gender, and American history and appear designed to chill academic and educational discussions and impose government dictates on teaching and learning.
PEN America — 30 November 2021 -
Biometrics and counter-terrorism: Case study of Iraq and Afghanistan
This research shows how the U.S. Department of Defense’s biometric programme was developed and implemented without prior assessment of its human rights impact and without the safeguards necessary to prevent its abuse. Its whereabouts and current use today remain unclear.
Privacy International — 8 June 2021 -
LAPD requested Ring footage of Black Lives Matter protests
Along with other civil liberties organizations and activists, EFF has long warned that Amazon Ring and other networked home surveillance devices could be used to monitor political activity and protests. Now we have documented proof that our fears were founded.
Electronic Frontier Foundation — 16 February 2021 -
EFF transition memo to incoming Biden administration
While EFF hopes to work with President Biden on a wide range of policies that affect digital rights in the coming years, it focuseshere on the ones that need his immediate attention and ask that he change course on the previous policies and practices discussed below.
Electronic Frontier Foundation — 25 January 2021 -
Made in Hollywood, Censored by Beijing
This report examines the ways in which Beijing’s censors have affected and influenced Hollywood and the global filmmaking industry.
PEN America — 6 August 2020 -
ARRESTING DISSENT: LEGISLATIVE RESTRICTIONS ON THE RIGHT TO PROTEST
As individuals have mobilized, state legislatures across the country have begun introducing bills meant to suppress, restrict, or criminalize the right to protest at an ever-increasing rate.
PEN America — 27 May 2020 -
Losing the News: The decimation of local news and the search for solutions
This report lays out pathways for revitalizing local journalism in the United States. New, nimble outlets are emerging, and existing outlets are adapting and innovating – developing alternative revenue streams, experimenting with nonprofit models, rebuilding audiences, and better serving communities.
PEN America — 21 November 2019 -
Literature locked up: How prison book restriction policies constitute US’s largest book ban
The reality of book banning in American prisons is systematic and comprehensive. State and federal prison authorities censor content with little oversight or public scrutiny.
PEN America — 7 October 2019 -
TRUTH ON THE BALLOT Fraudulent News, the Midterm Elections, and Prospects for 2020 
In this report, PEN America examines the steps taken by technology companies, government actors, and po- litical parties to curb the influence of fraudulent news in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.
PEN America — 13 March 2019 -
Aiding Repression in Egypt: Why the United States Needs to Keep Human Rights Conditions on Military Aid
Civil society leaders in Egypt are urging the U.S. government to continue to condition and withhold military aid to Egypt until the Egyptian government makes meaningful reforms to its human rights practices.
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) — 20 September 2018 -
Press freedom under threat: International Press Freedom Mission to the United States May 2018
In recent years, press freedom organizations have become increasingly concerned by the challenges faced by the media in the United States (US).
ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), IFEX, Index on Censorship, International Press Institute (IPI) , Reporters Without Borders (RSF) — 3 May 2018 -
Freedom on the Net 2017: United States of America
Americans witnessed several major cyberattacks in the latter half of 2016, including the hacking and subsequent leaking of sensitive information from the Democratic National Committee in the lead up to the vote
Freedom House — 15 November 2017 -
Faking news: Fraudulent news and the fight for truth
The report examines the rise of fraudulent news, defined here as demonstrably false information that is being presented as a factual news report with the intention to deceive the public, and the related erosion of public faith in traditional journalism. The report identifies proposed solutions at the intersection of technology, journalism, and civil society to empower news consumers with better skills and tools to help them process the torrents of information they see online.
PEN America — 12 October 2017 -
Freedom of the Press 2017: United States
Political polarization in the media worsened during the presidential campaign, due in part to the emergence of “alt-right” news sites that disseminated highly nationalistic or nativist messages, conspiracy theories, and at times false or propagandistic coverage.
Freedom House — 27 April 2017 -
Digital Privacy at the U.S. Border: Protecting the Data On Your Devices and In the Cloud
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) — 10 March 2017 -
And Campus For All: Diversity, Inclusion, and Freedom of Speech at U.S. Universities
PEN America — 17 October 2016 -
Freedom of the Press 2016: United States
Two journalists faced charges following their widely criticized arrest in Ferguson in 2014.
Freedom House — 23 April 2016 -
Freedom on the Net 2015: United States
“Federal Communications Commission approved new rules that allow it to regulate the internet as a public utility, including provisions to protect net neutrality”
Freedom House — 31 October 2015 -
Freedom of the Press 2015: United States
Ranked 31st in annual global media freedom report
Freedom House — 1 May 2015 -
U.S.: Press Freedom Under Fire in Ferguson
PEN America — 27 October 2014 -
USA: With Liberty to Monitor All
How Large-Scale US Surveillance is Harming Journalism, Law, and American Democracy
Human Rights Watch (HRW) — 11 September 2014 -
USA: With Liberty to Monitor All
How Large-Scale US Surveillance is Harming Journalism, Law, and American Democracy
Human Rights Watch (HRW) — 28 July 2014 -
Open Wifi and Copyright: A Primer for Network Operators in the U.S.
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) — 27 May 2014 -
Who Has Your Back? 2014: Protecting Your Data From Government Requests
Which companies stand with their users, embracing transparency around government data requests? Which companies have resisted improper government demands by fighting for user privacy in the courts and on Capitol Hill? In short, which companies have your back?
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) — 19 May 2014 -
Freedom in the World 2014: United States
Chelsea Manning sentenced to 35 years in prison for releasing classified documents to WikiLeaks.
Freedom House — 1 May 2014 -
Freedom of the Press 2014: United States
Ranked 30th in annual global media freedom report
Freedom House — 1 May 2014 -
Midyear Meeting Report 2014: United States
New York shield law protects journalists from requirement to disclose sources regardless of state jursidiction of crime
Inter American Press Association — 7 April 2014 -
Enemies of the Internet 2014: United States
“NSA symbolises intelligence services’ abuses”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) — 12 March 2014 -
Attacks on the Press in 2013: United States
“Aggressive leak prosecutions, secret subpoenas, and surveillance have chilling effect”
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) — 11 February 2014 -
World Press Freedom Index 2014: United States
Ranked 46th in annual press freedom index
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) — 31 January 2014 -
World Report 2014: United States
Snowden leaks reveal secret domestic surveillance program aimed at US citizens
Human Rights Watch (HRW) — 21 January 2014 -
Chilling Effects: NSA Surveillance Drives U.S. Writers to Self-Censor
PEN America — 12 November 2013 -
U.S.: The Obama Administration and the Press
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) — 10 October 2013 -
Freedom of the Press 2013: United States
Ranked 23rd in annual global media freedom report
Freedom House — 1 May 2013 -
USA: Who Has Your Back?
Which companies help protect your data from the government?
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) — 1 May 2013 -
Freedom in the World 2013: United States
“Congressional efforts in 2012 to adopt legislation to prevent copyright infringement on the Internet were shelved in response to strong opposition from leading Internet companies, websites, and ordinary users”
Freedom House — 16 January 2013 -
Midyear Meeting Report 2012: United States
Soldier Bradley Manning faces charges under Espionage Act that could lead to death penalty for allegedly supplying info to Wikileaks
Inter American Press Association — 23 April 2012 -
Attacks on the Press in 2011: United States of America
State Department falls short in its implementation of Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) — 21 February 2012 -
Press Freedom Index 2011-2012: United States
US drops 27 places to 47th in annual press freedom review following numerous attacks on journalists covering Occupy Protests
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) — 25 January 2012
Mumia Abu-Jamal granted stay of execution
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 2 August, 26,19,14 and 7 July 1995** On 7 August 1995, Philadelphia Judge Albert Sabo granted the black journalist and writer Mumia Abu-Jamal an indefinite stay of execution until such time as all proceedings in his case have been concluded. Abu-Jamal was scheduled to be executed on 17 August. In a […]
Proposed Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting desecration of US flag
On 25 May 1995, a Subcommittee on the Constitution of the House of Representatives agreed by a seven-to-five vote on a proposed constitutional amendment empowering Congress and the states to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States of America. The proposed amendment (H. J. Res. 79) will next be considered by […]
CPJ asks NYC Mayor to name street after journalist Manuel de Dios Unanue on third anniversary of his death
11 March 1995 will mark the third anniversary of the death of Latino journalist Manuel de Dios Unanue who was gunned down in Queens, New York on orders of the Colombian Cali drug cartel. His family and colleagues have appealed to local authorities to designate the street where he was killed Manuel de Dios de […]
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