Freedom of the press vs National Security

     With the recent postings on Wikileaks of classified government documents we must ask ourselves if there is a time when the interests of government overshadow freedom of the press.  I believe that as in freedom of speech, there are times when for the greater good there should be limits placed upon the right of the press to publish government information.

     First Amendment Center gives several examples of when the public’s best interests were best served by the restriction of sensitive information.  Rarely does the Supreme Court agree with the unlimited access of information to the press.  As this website tells us, in the decision sited in the 1965 case, Zemel vs Rusk, the court stated that “the right to speak and publish does not carry with it the unrestrained right to gather information.”  Also, a third circuit court upheld the state department’s right to hold deportation hearings in secret during the immediate post 9/11 months in North Jersey Media Group v. Ashcroft.  The decision was based on the information’s importance in maintaining national security. 

     The freedom of the press is an important check that helps hold government officials accountable for their actions.  I believe this is an important check that is vital to a government by the people.  I do not believe the government has the right to withhold information in an effort to hide mistakes.  However, there is definitely information to which the whole world should not be privy to in the interest of the security of our country and to promote favorable world relations.