How free is our freedom of the press? | Trevor Timm

TL;DR

This content discusses James Risen's book about the government's illegal surveillance and the need for technology to protect press freedom and whistleblowers.

Transcript

So this is James Risen. You may know him as the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times. Long before anybody knew Edward Snowden's name, Risen wrote a book in which he famously exposed that the NSA was illegally wiretapping the phone calls of Americans. But it's another chapter in that book that may have an even more lasting impact. ... Read More

Key Insights

• 💣 The CIA handed over blueprints of a nuclear bomb to Iran, as exposed by James Risen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.
• 🔒 US government prosecutors demanded Risen testify against his alleged sources, showcasing a pattern of prosecuting whistleblowers and spying on journalists.
• 🔍 The government used Risen's digital trail, including phone and email records, to convict Jeffrey Sterling, Risen's alleged source and CIA whistleblower.
• 🗣️ President Obama's Justice Department prosecuted more whistleblowers than all other administrations combined, hindering journalistic reporting on national security matters.
• 🌐 Technology allows the government to circumvent reporters' rights, but it also enables the press to protect sources better, such as through SecureDrop.
• 🔒 SecureDrop is an encrypted and surveillance-resistant tool that allows whistleblowers to submit documents securely to news organizations.
• 🌍 Governments worldwide are continually developing new spying techniques, making it vital to protect the avenues for exposing wrongdoing.
• 🛡️ These tools are meant to defend the rights of all individuals under the Constitution, safeguarding not only whistleblowers but also public interests.

Questions & Answers

Q: What did James Risen expose in his book that led to a US government investigation?

James Risen exposed the fact that the NSA was illegally wiretapping the phone calls of Americans in his book. This revelation led to a US government investigation into Risen's sources.

Q: How did the US government respond to Risen's book?

The US government launched a nearly decade-long investigation into James Risen to try and force him to testify against one of his alleged sources. They demanded that he reveal the identity of his whistleblower source.

Q: What actions did Risen take in response to the government's demands?

James Risen refused to cooperate with the government and testify against his alleged source. Instead, he chose to potentially face going to jail rather than betray his principles as a journalist.

Q: What information did the government collect on Risen without his consent?

The government obtained James Risen's phone records, email records, financial and banking information, credit reports, and even travel records without his consent. They used this information as evidence in the trial of his alleged source, Jeffrey Sterling.

Q: How can the press better protect their sources in the age of electronic surveillance?

The press can use secure communications software, such as SecureDrop, to protect their sources. SecureDrop is an open-source whistleblower submission system that allows individuals to securely upload documents and information to news organizations. It encrypts and stores the information on a server that only the news organization has access to, preventing secret demands from the government.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• James Risen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, exposed illegal wiretapping by the NSA and a US intelligence operation in which the CIA gave blueprints of a nuclear bomb to Iran.

• Risen was investigated by the US government for nearly a decade and faced potential jail time for refusing to testify against his alleged sources.

• The government dropped its demands for Risen's testimony and instead obtained his digital trail, including phone records, email records, and financial information, to convict Jeffrey Sterling, Risen's alleged source and a CIA whistleblower.