Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act requires public agencies to make certain material available to the public upon request. In addition, some material must be made automatically available in online reading rooms. The act provides access to a vast number of public documents that help enable reporters to accurately report on their government. Although anyone may make requests, the law does not cover all agencies.

Reporter’s Shield Laws

Many states have passed legislation furthering the protection of reporter’s privilege. Reporter’s privilege protects reporters from having to revealing their confidential sources, allowing reporters to gather information from sources who would otherwise be reluctant to speak publicly.

US Code Title 47 § 230

Section 230 states that “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” The law protects an individual for liability from content others provide. This is especially important for blogs, which by in large have comment sections which allow other users to post content. Under Section 230, the blog’s owner cannot be held responsible for the comments others leave on their blog.