Lecture on James Risen, Whistleblowers, and Press Freedom

James Risen's Background

• Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times.
• Known for exposing the NSA's illegal wiretapping of American phone calls before Edward Snowden's revelations.
• Authored a book revealing a failed CIA operation where Iran was given nuclear bomb blueprints.

U.S. Government's Response

• Risen became the subject of a decade-long government investigation.
• Prosecutors demanded he testify against an alleged source.
• The First Amendment allows the press to publish secret information if in the public interest.
• Risen refused to testify, risking imprisonment from 2007 to 2015.

Case Development

• Government withdrew demands just before Risen's trial.
• Prosecutors secretly accessed Risen's digital records (phone, email, financial, etc.)
• Jeffrey Sterling, Risen's alleged source, was convicted using this information.

Broader Implications

• President Obama's administration prosecuted more whistleblowers than all prior administrations combined.
• Whistleblowers are pivotal for national security stories post-9/11.
• Expanded government surveillance threatens press freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Technological Solutions

• Technology both enables government surveillance and offers protection for journalists.
• Communication tools like SecureDrop enhance source protection.
  • Open-source whistleblower submission system.
  • Developed by Freedom of the Press Foundation.
  • Allows secure, encrypted submission of documents.

The Role of SecureDrop

• Protects against government data demands.
• Not a complete solution for press freedom.
• Emphasizes the need for wide accessibility to non-tech-savvy individuals.

Importance of Protecting Whistleblowers

• Essential for exposing various sectors' wrongdoings (health care, environment, finance).
• Tools are designed to protect everyone's constitutional rights.

Conclusion

• The need for safeguards to protect free press against advancing surveillance.