The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has an excellent article in their magazine, The News Media and the Law, about efforts by Big Ag to criminalize photography and video of factory farms, and what this means for journalists.
I’m part of a lawsuit challenging Utah’s ag-gag law, along with Amy Meyer (the first person prosecuted under ag-gag), PETA, and others.
As Jeff Zalesin writes in his piece:
“These laws do not exempt journalists, because journalists are seen as part of the threat to this industry,†he said.
As a reporter, Potter said, he could face prosecution for going undercover on a farm in an ag-gag state, either alone or accompanied by an activist.
“More broadly, though, ag-gag puts my sources at risk of prosecution for speaking with me or providing me their footage,†he added. “No journalist should have to choose between not reporting a story that is of national concern and putting a source in jail.â€
Check out the full article at The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. It’s a great overview of this First Amendment fight.