Patterico's Pontifications

1/30/2007

Bloggers Can Protect Sources

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:13 pm



A Santa Clara, California court has reportedly ruled that bloggers have the same right as traditional journalists to protect their sources.

I caution that it’s hard to know what to make of the ruling without reading it. But it certainly does sound like an important development, based on the linked article’s coverage.

3 Responses to “Bloggers Can Protect Sources”

  1. And the same caveat must be observed when bloggers use ‘anonymous sources’ as when the MSM does. Said ‘sources’ are all too convenient to support attack journalism. They’re impossible to defend against, and when they don’t exist (yes, some don’t exist), they give the ‘journalist’ or blogger carte blanche for libel, slander or false testimony.

    Anonymous sources should be scarce as hen’s teeth, and those who use them should be accountable personally when the ‘news’ from said sources is proved misleading. And in cases of libel, slander and national security, the ‘anonymous’ cover must be liftable by supoena.

    Insufficiently Sensitive (01397c)

  2. I diragree with the concept of authoring articles as a method of protecting information. One should have the right to publish, just as one has the right to speak. Can I protect a source, because I might speak about him (vice publish)?

    And yes, I know that there are state laws, that the First Amendment does not give a reporters sheild, blabla. But the silliness is just getting so thick and moving so far. Someone needs to rein in this boneheaded concept.

    TCO (ac2bf3)


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