FAC

In a classic case of prior restraint, police and school officials in a suburban Pittsburgh high school warned students against saying anything on or off campus about an investigation of three teachers variously charged with sexual assault and victim intimidation. In an assembly, the principal warned students “against tweets, posts, text, emails, conversations or any other communications about any of the investigations involving our school.” (Student Press Law Center, April 27, 2015, by Mariana Viera)

Now that the government has harnessed surveillance technology in monitoring journalists, they have been forced to invest in expensive and time-consuming counter measures to protect their sources. Journalists can now tap anti-surveillance tools including digital security guides and training programs and an anonymous tip line called SecureDrop that uses security and privacy software to encrypt messages and destroy metadata trails so that even reporters do not know the identity of the source unless the source

A former California state senator is establishing a database allowing the public to discover how lobbyists influence legislation. San Blakeslee’s project will debut May 6 as the Digital Democracy Project (www.digitaldemocracy.org) with videos of legislative hearings. When politicians speak a simultaneous graphic of their major campaign contributors surfaces. When lobbyists speak, a list will appear of their clients and issues.  (San Francisco Chronicle, April 26, 2015, by Joe Garofoli) Blakeslee worked with a think tank

White House reporters are drumming for increased access to campaigns by releasing a document with revised rules for treatment of the press. The White House Correspondents’ Association wants greater access particularly more opportunities to question Obama directly. (Politico, April 22, 2015, by Dylan Byers) Association president Christi Parsons has vigorously fought White House secrecy and their push to control what and how information gets to the public. “The proliferation of social media presents a great