Civil Civics Summer 2025 Series: "Who's on First?": What's Up with Freedom of the Press?

Our deep dive into the First Amendment continues with the third freedom: freedom of the press.

Scholars generally acknowledge a free and independent press as one of the cornerstones of a democratic society. It was clearly important to the creators of our government, but it's another right that hasn't been without controversy. The tension between what the public has the right to know and what the government has a right to conceal has been ongoing, and has often boiled over. The Pentagon Papers. Edward Snowden. Woodward & Bernstein. Julian Assange and Wikileaks.

The Supreme Court has decided many cases on this topic, particularly as the meaning of "the press" has come to mean much more than just newspapers. Does Twitter (aka "X") count? TikTok? Facebook? Instagram? What about YouTube or your favorite podcast? Does it matter that the AP is currently banned from the White House press briefings for refusing to refer to the "Gulf of America"? Can the president really sue "60 Minutes" because he isn't happy with their coverage?