Transparency & Democracy
Ensuring access to information necessary for self-government
The First Amendment embraces the public’s right to access the information needed to hold the powerful accountable and participate fully in the process of self-government.
Our aim in defending and promoting transparency is not simply to compel the disclosure of information that the public is entitled to know, but to broaden public access to information through changes in government policy and the law.
Featured
Analysis
Julian Assange is still in prison. And America's democratic principles are still at stake.
The past four years have underscored the extent to which our democracy depends on the ability of journalists to report government secrets.
The past four years have underscored the extent to which our democracy depends on the ability of journalists to report government secrets.
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Analysis
Julian Assange is still in prison. And America's democratic principles are still at stake.
By Jameel JafferThe past four years have underscored the extent to which our democracy depends on the ability of journalists to report government secrets.
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Comments on Decision to Reject U.S. Request for Extradition of Julian Assange
Says indictment under the Espionage Act will continue to cast a shadow over investigative journalism
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Analysis
A First Amendment Agenda for the New Administration
How the Biden administration can reaffirm the freedoms of speech, association, and petition in its first 100 days
LITIGATION & ADVOCACY
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Lawsuit
ACLU v. CIA & Knight Institute v. DOD
Three FOIA lawsuits seeking records related to the government censorship system of "prepublication review"
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Lawsuit
Francis v. DOJ
A FOIA lawsuit seeking disclosure of Office of Legal Counsel opinions issued over 25 years ago
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Lawsuit
National Association of Immigration Judges v. McHenry
A lawsuit challenging a government policy silencing immigration judges
RESEARCH
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Essays and Scholarship
Measuring and Protecting Media Plurality in the Digital Age: A Political Economy Approach
Developing a platform-neutral "attention share" plurality review for media mergers
By Andrea Prat -
Essays and Scholarship
Beyond First Amendment Lochnerism: A Political Process Approach
Exploring the First Amendment's evolving role in America's democratic political process and private commercial sphere
By Tim Wu -
Essays and Scholarship
State Secrecy, Archival Negligence, and the End of History as We Know It
The collapse of the U.S. government's system for organizing, conserving, and revealing its activities.
By Matthew Connelly
Events
Book Launch: Mistrust
A conversation with Ethan Zuckerman about why losing faith in institutions provides the tools to transform them
Online
Data and Democracy
A symposium considering how big data is changing our system of self-government
New York, NY
Press Freedom, National Security, and Whistleblowers: From Julian Assange to the White House
Human rights and national security experts, United Nations Rapporteurs, and freedom of expression lawyers discuss the debate around WikiLeaks’ publishing, Assange’s prosecution, and the future of whistleblowing