Freedom of the press does not mean the news media and social media can say or write anything they want.

By Bob Simon

Freedom of the press evokes the guarantee that press workers are allowed to seek, share information, and expose their idea or opinion without confronting punishment from official authorities. From this perspective, Heritage.org describes “the values that Founders saw” from the bill of rights that the first congress proposed on September 25, 1789.

The founders made that decision after experiencing the efficiency of a free press. So, after establishing the freedom of speech and the press as law, they also anticipate all further decisions that could come across their will, and they reinforce it with the article the third by declaring “congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or the press.” (National Archives, Bill of Rights)

However, the freedom of speech or of the press is about to narrow down in the social media era. The press can only work with access to information if “the right to access social media can be taken away from someone after arrest” according to Henderson (chap 1, p.1), so full access to the internet can be restricted one day. In contrast, all pieces of information are digital and reachable by worldwide web tools. In addition, Henderson warns us about the new boundaries of the press that “government” try to “control the flow of the information.”

It is important to understand, first, the necessity of standing out as a staunch defender of the first amendment whilst press workers follow ethics and deontology which regulate the journalism. Second, always remember that our craft must be useful to our community and our people.