All Incidents - U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

Two reporters forced out of restaurant, equipment attacked

May 21, 2019

Two members of an Atlanta, Georgia-based news crew were forced out of a restaurant and had their camera equipment repeatedly attacked while reporting a story on May 1, 2019. CBS46 photographer Dimitri Lotovski and reporter Adam Murphy were in a Denny’s in Lithonia asking employees about the restaurant’s failing inspection score when, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one employee became aggressive.In raw video footage of the incident posted by CBS46, a Denny’s employee can be heard yelling at the reporters …

Unprecedented criminal complaint filed for violations of the Georgia Open Records Act

February 26, 2019

The Georgia state attorney general filed the first-ever criminal complaint in connection with the Georgia Open Records Act on Feb. …

Man arrested after threatening to kill CNN staffers

January 23, 2018

A man in Michigan was arrested by the FBI and accused of threatening to murder CNN employees, Atlanta news station …

reality winner 2

Reality Winner charged with leaking information to The Intercept

July 31, 2017

On June 26, 2018, Winner pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Espionage Act.

US border control customs

CNN producer detained in Atlanta airport

May 18, 2017

Mohammed Tawfeeq, a CNN editor and producer, was detained Sunday at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and subjected to secondary screening …

Screengrab from Nydia Tisdale's video of arrest

Citizen journalist Nydia Tisdale arrested and attacked by police officer while filming rally

January 12, 2018

Nydia Tisdale, an independent video journalist, was arrested and charged with criminal trespass and obstruction of an officer while filming …

Category Results

Total Results	6
Journalists affected	6
Results in 2019	2
Results in May	1

How we track Arrests And Criminal Charges

Journalists arrested and taken into custody and/or charged with a crime. Journalists who are still facing charges as of August 2, 2017 are included in this category even if the charges were filed in a previous year.

How we track Border Stops

Journalists stopped at the border and subjected to prolonged, invasive questioning or who have their electronic devices searched or are asked to provide passwords. We count border stops even if we are unable to draw a direct connection between the stop and the journalist’s work activities, because the resistance of U.S. authorities to provide information makes it extremely difficult to identify the motive and because invasive questioning or device searches could jeopardize source confidentiality no matter the motive. Not every stop at the border is a press freedom violation, but we believe it is essential to capture patterns related to these stops. This category also includes cases where journalists are prevented from entering the country if it appears that their inability to enter the country is related to their work.

How we track Subpoenas And Legal Orders

Subpoenas issued by government prosecutors or agencies ordering journalists to testify in court. Subpoenas requested by private parties will not be included. This category also includes legal orders for the production of journalist records or work product, which may be targeted at journalists or at third parties who have access to the work product. Because many subpoenas are not publicly reported and legal orders for journalist records are conducted with high levels of secrecy, the numbers in this category are likely to underestimate actual cases.

How we track Leak Cases

Government employees or contractors investigated or prosecuted for disclosing information to journalists or media platforms. This category does not include leak cases where information was not leaked to the media.

How we track Equipment Searches, Seizures And Damage

Journalists’ equipment searched or seized by law enforcement in the course of their work.

How we track Physical Attacks

Journalists who face physical violence and injury or equipment damage, either as the result of a targeted attack by a public or private individual or in the course of their work. If a journalist is hit by rubber bullets or bean bag rounds, it will be counted in this category.

Journalists affected by tear gas, pepper spray, or other mass riot control agents will be counted if the individual suffers serious injury or appears to have been specifically targeted. Incidents that fall outside these parameters and in which multiple journalists were affected by riot control agents may be counted in the “other” category.

How we track Denials Of Access

Denial of access to government events that are traditionally open or attended by the press and where the denial of access either deprives the public of significant information, appears to be retaliatory, or is done without meaningful justification. Concrete changes in policy or practice to restrict or deny access may also be included in this category.

Denial of access to individuals in some cases, such as where the available space limits the number of journalists allowed to attend or where individuals arguing for access do not meet reasonable standards for credentials, can be seen as meaningful justifications and will not be included.

How we track Chilling Statements

Selected public threats made to reporters and media organizations by U.S. politicians and other public figures, which can have a chilling effect on journalism.

FEATURED STORY

From ‘fake news’ to ‘enemy of the people’: An Anatomy of Trump’s tweets

From June 16, 2015, when Donald Trump declared his candidacy for president, to today, where he sits as leader of the free world, every tweet in which he mentions the media, individual journalists, news outlets, or journalistic sources in a negative tone is being tracked in a database.

Contributor Stephanie Sugars, who created that database with the Committee to Protect Journalists and manages its ongoing accounting, explored rhetoric from the first two years of Trump’s presidency in a blog post.

As the president continues to communicate through Twitter, this live database offers a continued tracking.

How we track Other Incidents

Incidents that fall outside of the other categories, but reach a threshold of interest as determined by editorial discretion. Incidents that may be counted in this category include threats, harassment, detentions that do not result in charges or arrest, clearly abusive lawsuits, and vandalism.

How we track Prior Restraints

News organizations or journalists who are ordered by a judge not to publish information under threat of punishment

How we track Equipment Damage

Damage to a journalist’s equipment or property, either as the result of a targeted attack by a public or private individual or in the course of their work.