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Free Speech

by Mike Masnick

Tue, May 25th 2010 1:20pm




Filed Under:
college, first amendment, free speech, journalism, privacy, reporting, whistleblowing, wyoming


Judge Tells Newspapers They Can't Report On News About College Trip Since It Might Impact College Funding

from the that-whole-first-amendment-thing dept

Via Romenesko we learn that a judge in Wyoming has issued a temporary restraining order against two local newspapers, barring them from reporting about a trip by the local community college's president to Costa Rica, saying that the report was stolen... and that publishing the info could cause the college to lose federal funding. At issue is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which prevents colleges from revealing private info about students (a good thing). But here it's clearly being misused. Yes, the report may include some student info, but that should not, in any way, bar publishing a story about what happened. Furthermore, that the document was leaked shouldn't bar publication either. If that were the case, there would never be any whistleblower stories out there, or stories like the one about the Pentagon Papers. Update: Well, that didn't last long. The original order has been dissolved, though this now has helped bring much more attention to the original story.

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  1.  
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    JJ (profile), May 25th, 2010 @ 1:36pm

    This is where they should respond the way British newspapers do: publish a story about how they were blocked from publishing a story about the issue.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
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    Sage (profile), May 25th, 2010 @ 1:45pm

    Exactly how is this not a clear violation of freedom of the press?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, May 25th, 2010 @ 1:46pm

    Re:

    well if that it aint the dogs balls..

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    bob, May 25th, 2010 @ 1:55pm

    Order Vacated

    The order was vacated by a fed judge.

    http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Judge.dissolves.order.2.1712784.html

    Can't wait to see what's in the report.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    Any Mouse, May 25th, 2010 @ 2:34pm

    Re: Order Vacated

    Actually, the judge dissolving the order is the same judge who put the order in place.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  
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    Murdock (profile), May 25th, 2010 @ 2:57pm

    I would have never read this report...

    But you can bet I'm going to now.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  
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    Rose M. Welch (profile), May 25th, 2010 @ 3:54pm

    I'd like to read the report as well.

    Of course, you have to wait until tomorrow...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  
    icon
    Pickle Monger (profile), May 25th, 2010 @ 4:25pm

    The proverbial rake

    Long live the Streisand Effect...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  
    icon
    The Groove Tiger (profile), May 25th, 2010 @ 6:01pm

    Re:

    Wasn't there already a case where a restraining order also prevented the target from saying anything about the restraining order? Wasn't it in the UK?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  
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    TtfnJohn (profile), May 26th, 2010 @ 9:33am

    No Wonder They Wanted This Supressed

    Well, Streisand Effect notwithstanding, after reading the report I can see why the college wanted this suppressed. Someone comes off here just barely this side of an incompetent goofus. The story had/has legs anyway even without this foolishness. Now it can outrun Ussain Bolt!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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