House and Senate bills aim to protect journalists’ data from government surveillance
News gatherers in the US may soon have safeguards against government attempts to comb through their data. Bipartisan House and Senate groups have reintroduced legislation, the PRESS Act (Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying), that limits the government’s ability to compel data disclosures that might identify journalists’ sources. The Senate bill, would extend disclosure exemptions and standards to cover email, phone records, and other info third parties hold.
The PRESS Act would also require that the federal government gives journalists a chance to respond to data requests. Courts could still demand disclosure if it’s necessary to prevent terrorism, identify terrorists or prevent serious “imminent” violence. The Senate bill is the work of Richard Durbin, Mike Lee and Ron Wyden, while the House equivalent comes from representatives Kevin Kiley and Jamie Raskin.
Sponsors characterize the bill as vital to protecting First Amendment press freedoms. Anonymous source leaks help keep the government accountable, Wyden says. He adds that surveillance like this can deter reporters and sources worried about retaliation. Lee, meanwhile, says the Act will also maintain the public’s “right to access information” and help it participate in a representative democracy.
The senators point to instances from both Democratic and Republican administrations where …read more
