The Pentagon revised its media restrictions. They’re just as bad for press freedom, experts say.
After receiving backlash for its new media restrictions, the Pentagon released a revised version last week that press freedom advocates say attacks the very act of reporting itself. By redefining ordinary reporting as “solicitation” of information, the rules risk turning basic newsgathering into grounds for punishment, and could make it harder for the public to know what the military is doing.
The Pentagon first unveiled its new rules for press-credentialed journalists Sept. 18 in a memo that contained language many interpreted as forbidding reporters from publishing information that had not been approved for release. The stipulation applied even to unclassified information — an unprecedented move. Journalists who did not agree to the rules risked losing their press passes.
No journalists signed the initial memo, and the Pentagon distributed a new version Oct. 6. Despite some initial media reports framing the revised rules as being more relaxed, journalists and First Amendment advocates say the updated memo is just as dangerous. While it clarifies that journalists do not need to submit their writing to the Department of Defense for approval, it warns that journalists who “solicit” federal employees to disclose information that has not been approved for release may lose their press credentials.
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