Sacrifices In Journalism And Whistleblowing: A Tribute to Truth-Tellers

Whistleblowing was the buzzword of 2013 and 2014. Snowden and Assange are the big names splashed around headlines, but they’re not the only ones going to great lengths to preserve the Fourth Estate and, in doing so, saving democracy.

Frederick Reese
By Frederick Reese
Julian Assange

James Risen James Risen, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter with the New York Times, addresses a luncheon at the Associated Press Media Editors conference in Chicago. The Justice Department has ruled out forcing Risen to divulge his source in the upcoming trial of a former CIA officer accused of leaking classified information, a person familiar with

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VIDEO: Aaron Swartz And The Fight For Free Information

The majority of the wealth of human knowledge is owned by a few publishing companies that hoard information and make billions off licensing fees, although most scholarly articles and journals are paid for by taxpayers through government grants. Aaron sought to change this.

Abby Martin
By Abby Martin

Computer prodigy Aaron Swartz should have been celebrating his 28 years over the holidays. Yet nearly two years ago, he tragically took his own life. He was the target of a merciless witch-hunt by the Department of Justice, ultimately choosing death over 35 years behind bars for the crime of releasing information. As someone who transformed the

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Journalists On Trial: Why Barrett Brown’s Case Matters

The outcome of the trial of journalist Barrett Brown could mean either a further decline of U.S. press freedoms or legislation ensuring protection for journalists.

Katie Rucke
By Katie Rucke
Barrett Brown

On April 28, the U.S. government’s trial against journalist Barrett Brown will open in Texas. The outcome of the trial could not only impact the freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of association in the United States, but also a journalist’s ability to disclose information that is illegally obtained, such as the information National

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Privacy Advocates Lead Public In “Fight Back” Against NSA

Digital protests may be a new phenomenon, but this same technique was used to help defeat SOPA and PIPA two years ago.

Katie Rucke
By Katie Rucke

More than 6,000 activist groups, companies and online platforms such as Demand Progress, Reddit, Mozilla, and BoingBoing held a global day of activism in opposition to government mass surveillance programs such as the National Security Agency on Tuesday. Known as “The Day We Fight Back,” the online protest largely involved placing anti-spying

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Activists Announce Day To ‘Fight Back’ Against NSA

Ultimately, the goal of February’s protest is to push for the passage of the USA Freedom Act.

Katie Rucke
By Katie Rucke
Surveillance

Next month, freedom of information and digital rights activists are joining to generate awareness for the mass surveillance the federal government has conducted on Americans in hopes of inspiring the public to push lawmakers for change. News of the protest was announced on Jan. 10, the day before the one-year anniversary of the death of digital

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Anniversary Of Aaron Swartz’s Death Brings Threat Of Proprietorial Overreach

Leahy’s amendment suggests an undeniable impression that fairness under the law is sacrificable to grander notions, such as “national security” and “corporate protection.”

Frederick Reese
By Frederick Reese
Aaron Swartz

A man’s spirit broke on Jan.11, 2013. Under unrelenting pressure from federal prosecutors and facing 35 years in prison, Aaron Swartz, 26, co-founder of Demand Progress and a member of the developing team for the RSS feed, Creative Commons and Infogrami -- who at the time was severely and chronically depressed -- killed himself. One year after

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