Key Global Findings 2017 “Global press freedom declined to its lowest point in 13 years in 2016 amid unprecedented threats to journalists and media outlets in major democracies and new moves by authoritarian states to control the media, including beyond their borders. Only 13 percent of the world’s population enjoys a Free press—that is, a… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Censorship
Trump Fires FBI Director Comey after Congressional testimony on election investigations – with updates
Follow up to previous postings included in Comey Asks Justice Dept. to Reject Trump’s Wiretapping Claim – tonight via CNN – Trump’s letter firing FBI Director James Comey – (Comey was appointed for a 10 year term.) Update – Politico – The Problems With the FBI’s Email Investigation Went Well Beyond Comey – “…the FBI… Continue Reading
Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals 2017
World Bank – “The Atlas is built around World Development Indicators 2017 – the World Bank’s compilation of statistics from over 200 economies about global development and the quality of people’s lives. For each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, selected indicators have been identified and visualized to analyze trends and challenges, and to stimulate… Continue Reading
Index on Censorship
“This non-exhaustive study of threats to media freedom in the United States researched over 150 publicly reported incidents involving journalists. It uses the criteria developed for and employed by Mapping Media Freedom, Index on Censorship’s project launched in May 2014 that monitors the media landscape in 42 European and neighboring countries. This survey reviewed media… Continue Reading
2017 World Press Freedom Index – tipping point
“The 2017 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reflects a world in which attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms – especially in democracies…RSF’s latest World Press Freedom Index highlights the danger of… Continue Reading
DOJ defends USDA take-down of massive animal abuse database
Follow up to previous postings – Animal welfare information wiped from USDA website and Some animal welfare data removed from USDA site is restored – via Josh Gerstein – Politico – “The Justice Department is mounting a legal defense of one of the most-publicized counter-transparency moves of the new Trump administration: the Agriculture Department’s decision… Continue Reading
White House cancels Open.gov
TIME: “…White House officials said the Administration is ending the contract for Open.gov, the Obama-era site that hosted the visitor records along with staff financial disclosures, salaries, and appointments. An official said it would save $70,000 through 2020 [emphasis added] and that the removed disclosures, salaries and appointments would be integrated into WhiteHouse.gov in the… Continue Reading
New Website Lets You Fax Art to Congress to Save the NEA
Artsy Editorial – “In the months since President Donald Trump took office, members of Congress have watched their phone lines reach capacity and their email inboxes overflow as constituents voice their displeasure with the administration’s policies and appointees… Now, a new website is giving citizens a way to get artistic with their political grievances. Artifax… Continue Reading
Houses passes bill restricting use of non public scientific data by EPA
USNews: “The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday [April 5, 2017] that would that restrict the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to use certain types of scientific studies, a restraint that Republicans say is needed to stop unnecessary regulations the cost private companies millions of dollars. But Democrats said the measure, called the Honest and Open… Continue Reading
What is the fate of deleted Presidential tweets?
FCW.com – “The White House plans to save deleted tweets, according to a communication from the head of the National Archives, but the president is the ultimate arbiter of what is and isn’t a presidential record [emphasis added]. David S. Ferriero, the national archivist, set out the current status of records management training and policy… Continue Reading
For April Ryan, Clashes With WH Bring a New Kind of Prominence
The New York Times – “…One of the few black journalists in the White House press corps, Ms. Ryan has covered presidents and clashed with press secretaries for 20 years. But her encounters with the Trump administration are propelling the 49-year-old, Baltimore-bred journalist to a new level of prominence — and into a contentious debate… Continue Reading
Energy Department climate office bans use of phrase ‘climate change’
Politico, Eric Wolff – “The Office of International Climate and Clean Energy is the only office at DOE with the words ‘climate’ in its name, and it may be endangered as Trump looks to reorganize government agencies. A supervisor at the Energy Department’s international climate office told staff this week not to use the phrases “climate… Continue Reading
