6 Sites to Start Following Ahead of World Press Freedom Day
As we prepare to recognize World Press Freedom Day (May 3), we are spotlighting a few press freedom sites to keep you informed.
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May 3 marks the anniversary of World Press Freedom Day. The day, founded in 1933, “offers a critical moment to reaffirm freedom of expression and to align journalism, technology (including AI), and human rights actors around practical ways to strengthen information ecosystems for the future,” according to the UN.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. adults believe that freedom of the press is extremely or very important to the well-being of society, according to recent Pew Research Center data. However, 21% say the media are not very or not at all free to report the news in the U.S. (only a third say they are completely free to do so).
The theme for this year’s World Press Freedom Day is “Shaping a Future at Peace.” It will focus on reaffirming freedom of expression “both as a normative and empirical lever for shaping the future of information societies.”
To show our support for press freedom, we’re highlighting several blogs and news sites dedicated to defending journalists, advocating for a free press and documenting attacks against press freedom.
1. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom and defends the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal. Its experts around the world report on press freedom violations and work to take action on behalf of those targeted.
The site provides the latest data on the number of journalists killed, imprisoned or missing around the world, as well as resources to ensure the physical, digital and psychosocial safety of reporters. News and alerts cover recent attacks on press freedom, legislation and more.
2. Free Press
Free Press, founded in 2003, is a nonprofit that focuses on the intersection of media and technology, which has a large impact on politics and society. As the site explains, “We focus on protecting free speech and press freedom, fighting hate and misinformation, achieving affordable internet access for all, advancing racial equity in our media system, holding media and tech companies accountable, protecting privacy and digital civil rights, and transforming local journalism.”
Articles on the Free Press blog cover topics like diversity in media ownership, local media, press freedom and the future of journalism.
3. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP)
The RCFP provides legal resources, including pro bono legal representation, to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. It also runs a Legal Hotline for journalists and media lawyers, and will create special event hotlines for major events like elections and the Olympics.
On the RCFP website, journalists can find legal guides on topics like shield protections and access to court documents. Search the blog for the latest posts on defamation laws, freedom of information, censorship and more.
4. Knight First Amendment Institute
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University was founded in 2016 to safeguard free expression in the digital age. Its litigation, research and public education programs focus on free speech and social media; privacy and surveillance; and transparency and democracy.
The blog offers quick takes as well as deep dives, podcasts, essays, research and more.
5. Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF)
The FPF is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and defending the First and Fourth Amendment rights guaranteed to the press. In addition to advocating for press freedom, the organization has developed encryption tools for journalists, trains newsrooms on digital security and documents attacks against the press.
On the site, journalists and newsroom leaders can find guides and training on topics like online harassment, mobile security, email encryption and more. The blog covers the latest updates on leaks, surveillance, whistleblowers, etc.
6. U.S. Press Freedom Tracker
This nonpartisan site, run by FPF, provides the latest data on press freedom violations in the U.S. The tracker, launched in 2017, provides a historical context of how First Amendment threats look in the U.S. The site provides data export and API functionality as well as a data archive that is updated regularly.
Go down a rabbit hole with the data and check out the blog posts, which feature original analyses on press freedom trends and incident roundups.
