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
Press Statement
Trump Administration Concedes That U.S. Researchers May Engage With Sanctioned U.N. Official
Response is a victory for the right of Americans to speak with and hear from international experts about issues of global importance, Knight Institute says
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Press Statement
Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Banning News Organizations From White House
Knight Institute applauds ruling, says First Amendment bars president from transforming press corps into a propaganda machine
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Press Statement
Knight Institute To Support Banned News Organizations in Court
Says Trump’s actions are a “flagrant violation” of the First Amendment
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Urges Court to Strike Down Restrictions on Pentagon Journalists
Says the government cannot interfere with independent reporting
LITIGATION & ADVOCACY
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Amicus Brief
CNN v. Trump
A lawsuit challenging President Trump’s decision to ban three news organizations from the White House.
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Amicus Brief
New York Times v. Department of Defense
Cases challenging restrictions on journalists covering the Pentagon
RESEARCH
Events
Lee C. Bollinger Forum at Columbia University and Online
The Forever War and the First Amendment
A symposium on how the “War on Terror” has shaped the freedoms of speech and the press
