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
Deep Dive
Judging in Secret
The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel was once known as the “constitutional conscience” of the executive branch, but in recent years it has been known principally for green-lighting torture, mass surveillance, and extrajudicial killings.
By Jameel JafferLATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
LITIGATION & ADVOCACY
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Lawsuit
National Association of Immigration Judges v. Neal
A lawsuit challenging a government policy silencing immigration judges
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. ODNI
A FOIA lawsuit for the immediate release of the U.S. intelligence report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi
RESEARCH
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Essays and Scholarship
Lies and the Law: An Introduction
Exploring how the law regulates or should regulate false and misleading speech
By Genevieve Lakier -
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Essays and Scholarship
Government Counterspeech
What leeway the government should enjoy to engage in counterspeech to combat misinformation or promote truthful discourse
By Jamal Greene
Events
Barnard College - Diana Center - Event Oval
Boycott
A film screening and panel discussion about free speech and the far-reaching implications of anti-boycott laws
Online
Book Talk: Voices in the Code
A conversation with David G. Robinson, Deborah Raji, Arvind Narayanan, and J. Nathan Matias about how algorithms shape key moments in our lives
Online
Lies and Counterspeech
To what extent can speech—disclosures, warning labels, fact checks, apologies, and/or counterspeech generally—defang the lie?
To what extent can speech—disclosures, warning labels, fact checks, apologies, and/or counterspeech generally—defang the lie?