Not sure whether you can publish information illegally obtained by a third party? RCFP has a new guide for that.

Not sure whether you can publish information illegally obtained by a third party? RCFP has a new guide for that.

Journalists, especially those who report on national security issues, have long relied on information that was illegally obtained by a source to fuel powerful reporting in the public interest. While the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized First Amendment protections for this kind of reporting as long as the publisher acted lawfully, the details are important. For example, what if you, as a journalist, are actually involved in acquiring the materia…