Secrecy from attorney discipline offices isn’t about attorneys’ reputations — it’s about their own. When they frequently dismiss meritorious complaints or let people off with slaps on the wrists, they function more like protection rackets than regulators.

Public employees retain the right to speak on matters of public concern as private citizens. Read the letter we signed urging @deptvetaffairs.bsky.social to end investigations into employees for speaking with the press in their personal capacities: www.spj.org/spj-led-coal...

Every outlet that fights back against Trump's press freedom threats wins. The only cases he's "won"? Two settlements that never saw a trial — that's not a win, that's a payoff. TV networks facing his FCC: Stop playing scared. You have a winning hand. @trevortimm.bsky.social explains:

🔔 Join us for a conversation with a group of former federal FOIA officials to learn about the current transparency landscape, featuring @kevinhbell.bsky.social, Michael Sarich, and Ginger Quintero-McCall. 🗓️ Friday, May 15, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT RSVP: freedom.press/workin-foias

“We are participating in corporate governance to protect the freedom of the press and protect our investment,” FPF's @seth-stern.bsky.social said. Read more about why we’re demanding records on Paramount's capitulation to Trump in The American Prospect:

The New York Times’ @nickkristof.bsky.social writes about the brutal sexual abuse, rape of male and female Palestinian prisoners, including journalists, by Israeli prison guards, soldiers, settlers, and interrogators — abuses funded in part by our U.S. tax dollars.

The government’s probe of @wsj.com is "an outrageous attempt to silence sources, intimidate journalists, and bury the truth" about Trump’s decision to launch a war even his own generals warned against, FPF's Seth Stern said. Read more from @kgosztola.bsky.social:

Secrecy from attorney discipline offices isn’t about attorneys’ reputations — it’s about their own. When they frequently dismiss meritorious complaints or let people off with slaps on the wrists, they function more like protection rackets than regulators.

The dark days of unsecured text messages between iPhone and Android may be coming to an end. Apple and Google are enabling end-to-end encryption for RCS, which will secure chats across platforms. Read more in our digital security newsletter (and subscribe)!

🔔 Join us for a conversation with a group of former federal FOIA officials to learn about the current transparency landscape, featuring @kevinhbell.bsky.social, Michael Sarich, and Ginger Quintero-McCall. 🗓️ Friday, May 15, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT RSVP: freedom.press/workin-foias

The government’s investigation of The Wall Street Journal has nothing to do with "national security." We’ve seen this cowardly script before. It was a lie when the Pentagon Papers were leaked in 1971, and it’s a lie now. Read our statement: freedom.press/issues/natio...

NY’s attorney discipline office told us to keep secret that it found a federal prosecutor engaged in misconduct after he retaliated against a newspaper. Pro tip: Don’t direct a prior restraint at an organization with freedom of the press in its name.

The DOJ has subpoenaed journalists and their email and phone providers as part of a leaks investigation. If you're a journalist, don't wait to beef up your digital defenses. Explore our resources, trainings, and other services and take steps protect your work and sources TODAY:

FPF, @wbaidlaw.bsky.social, and @spj-posts.bsky.social are hosting an off-the-record webinar for journalists about blowing the whistle when their employers trade independence to curry favor with the gov. It's sad this is needed, but it is. RSVP below. Tuesday, May 19, 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT.

It’s way past time for the SEC to throw its plainly unconstitutional prior restraint in the trash bin. Watch our webinar last week with Floyd Abrams, @wcreeley.bsky.social, and other experts on how the rule undermines press freedom:

NY’s attorney discipline office told us to keep secret that it found a federal prosecutor engaged in misconduct after he retaliated against a newspaper. Pro tip: Don’t direct a prior restraint at an organization with freedom of the press in its name.

Patriotic individuals who alert the public to government wrongdoing are whistleblowers, not spies. Read the letter we signed with over two dozen press freedom groups and others calling for the Espionage Act charges against Courtney Williams to be dropped: www.rightsanddissent.org/wp-content/u...

From overpaying for assets to promising Trump they'll make changes to CNN, Paramount's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery "appears to be just blatant corruption" by the Ellisons and the Trump administration, FPF's @seth-stern.bsky.social told The American Prospect.

Every outlet that fights back against Trump's press freedom threats wins. The only cases he's "won"? Two settlements that never saw a trial — that's not a win, that's a payoff. TV networks facing his FCC: Stop playing scared. You have a winning hand. @trevortimm.bsky.social explains:

The DOJ's subpoenas of The Wall Street Journal are a direct threat to the public’s right to know, and the Journal is correct to fight them. Read our statement: freedom.press/issues/natio...

Armed federal agents recently arrested Dr. David Morens, strip-searched him, and charged him with crimes that could carry decades in prison — all for allegedly using his personal email to try and evade Freedom of Information Act requests. From @theintercept.com and @freedom.press:

The US has taken de facto control of Venezuela’s oil industry, but details of the arrangement are hidden. A series of FPF FOIA requests targets this secrecy, which threatens to entrench the US in the deeply corrupt industry. Read more in The Classifieds:

"That’s the real danger: making it so FOIA evasion is only a crime if the administration has a score to settle," writes @laurenleharper.bsky.social, @freedom.press’s Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy.

New White House guidelines try to make previously mandatory preservation rules discretionary, signaling "an attempt to privatize the American story," FPF's @laurenleharper.bsky.social said on @npr.org's 1A: Listen to the rest ⬇️

Some people leave prison quieter. Others return determined to speak out loud. Read this moving article by Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, the journalist recently freed from a Kuwaiti prison after nearly two months behind bars.

SLAPP suits pose a serious threat to press freedom. Learn how free speech bullies use the court system to silence everyday people in this TEDx talk from Laura Prather: "How legal bullying works—and how to protect yourself."

Given the Trump admin’s "open hostility to journalism and its novel legal tactics to attack the press, it’s entirely possible that the next target of financial censorship could be a news outlet," @reitman.bsky.social, FPF board president, wrote in @theintercept.com.

In not so great news, local freelance journalist Nick Stern @plasticjesusart.bsky.social, who was arrested on May Day by LAPD, just had his car stolen, with many important bits of gear and PPE inside. The licks just keep on coming—sharing a GoFundMe here for those who might want to support him

The US has taken de facto control of Venezuela’s oil industry, but details of the arrangement are hidden. A series of FPF FOIA requests targets this secrecy, which threatens to entrench the US in the deeply corrupt industry. Read more in The Classifieds:

We’re demanding records on Paramount's capitulation to Trump because shareholders are entitled to know when the government leverages corporate transactions to meddle in editorial decisions. Read from @megjames.bsky.social and @bwieder.bsky.social about our letter:

Dear DOJ, I have a long list of obstructionist FOIA officers -- past and present -- for you to pursue! theintercept.com/2026/05/09/d...

The Espionage Act has been used for decades to target journalists and whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing. Use our action center tool to tell lawmakers to pass the Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act and reform the archaic law.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is the site of news of both local and national importance, from military facilities to “Epstein Island.” But its public records and open meetings laws are badly outdated. Use our action center to tell local lawmakers to modernize its transparency laws.

The same warrantless surveillance tactics being used in immigration sweeps could be turned against journalists and their sources. Congress should pass the Government Surveillance Reform Act and close the data broker loophole.

We commend ABC for standing up for itself and the First Amendment. It’s about time outlets start telling Brendan Carr to kick rocks. Otherwise, he’ll continue making bogus pretexts to harass and jawbone licensees that air content his boss doesn’t like.

Given the Trump admin’s "open hostility to journalism and its novel legal tactics to attack the press, it’s entirely possible that the next target of financial censorship could be a news outlet," @reitman.bsky.social, FPF board president, wrote in @theintercept.com.

Given the Trump admin’s "open hostility to journalism and its novel legal tactics to attack the press, it’s entirely possible that the next target of financial censorship could be a news outlet," @reitman.bsky.social, FPF board president, wrote in @theintercept.com.

It’s great to see reporting on retaliation against incarcerated whistleblowers and news sources. But this kind of retaliation is certainly not limited to those who participate in reporting about Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplices — it happens all the time and should be covered regularly.

🔔 Join us for a conversation with a group of former federal FOIA officials to learn about the current transparency landscape, featuring @kevinhbell.bsky.social, Michael Sarich, and Bobak Talebian, and Ginger Quintero-McCall. 🗓️ Friday, May 15, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT RSVP: freedom.press/workin-foias

Dodging FOIA could now mean arrest and strip search, depending on who’s asking: The DOJ is now treating evading a records request as a crime, a stunning act of hypocrisy from the Trump administration. Read @laurenleharper.bsky.social’s latest article in @theintercept.com:

The @pressfreedomtracker.us has recorded nearly 200 LAPD press freedom violations involving journalists. On May Day, reporters were handcuffed and struck with batons. With the World Cup coming to LA, FPF's @adamrose.bsky.social challenged LAPD to prevent an international incident. Watch ⬇️

The DOJ is now treating evading a records request as a crime, a stunning act of hypocrisy from the Trump administration.

“That’s the real danger: making it so FOIA evasion is only a crime if the administration has a score to settle.” My latest for @theintercept.com:

Journalists reporting on this year’s World Cup: Make it your GOALLLLLLLLL to protect sensitive data when traveling. Read a few tips about how to score by securing your devices.

"We commend ABC for standing up for itself and the First Amendment. The legal theories the FCC asserts against broadcast licensees are frivolous and unconstitutional, and FCC Chair Brendan Carr knows it," FPF's @seth-stern.bsky.social said.

It’s great to see reporting on retaliation against incarcerated whistleblowers and news sources. But this kind of retaliation is certainly not limited to those who participate in reporting about Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplices — it happens all the time and should be covered regularly.

“I am obviously, as a person, as a journalist with a record, concerned.” Watch CNN legend @camanpour.bsky.social raise concerns about Trump donor David Ellison’s takeover of the news network, citing the ongoing ‘ideological realignment’ at CBS, at @sirharrysummit.bsky.social on Wednesday.

📩 Read in our weekly newsletter (and subscribe): - Exposing Paramount’s press freedom sellout - Investigating leaks, Kash Patel demands higher proof - Financial censorship of SPLC could impact the press next - Take action to modernize U.S. Virgin Islands public records laws

We commend ABC for standing up for itself and the First Amendment. It’s about time outlets start telling Brendan Carr to kick rocks. Otherwise, he’ll continue making bogus pretexts to harass and jawbone licensees that air content his boss doesn’t like.

Given the Trump admin’s "open hostility to journalism and its novel legal tactics to attack the press, it’s entirely possible that the next target of financial censorship could be a news outlet," @reitman.bsky.social, FPF board president, wrote in @theintercept.com.