---
title: "Americans value press freedom but differ on its limits"
description: "The Briefing ☀️ Happy Thursday! The Briefing is your guide to the world of news and information. Sign up here! In today’s email: 🔥 Featured story Federal court proceedings this week revealed an extended fight between the Justice Department and LinkedIn, with the government seeking to obtain details on a journalist’s interactions on the site […]"
date: "2026-09-17"
authors:
  - name: "Emily Tomasik"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/newsletter/the-briefing/americans-value-press-freedom-but-differ-on-its-limits/"
---

# Americans value press freedom but differ on its limits

September 17, 2026

## The Briefing

---

**☀️ Happy Thursday!** *The Briefing is your guide to the world of news and information. [**Sign up here!**](https://www.pewresearch.org/sign-up-for-the-briefing/)*

**In today’s email:**

- **Featured story:** DOJ seeks reporter’s LinkedIn records in national security leak probe

- **New from Pew Research Center:** Americans value press freedom but differ on its limits

- **In other news:** 60 Minutes returns under new leadership

- **Looking ahead:** Amazon Prime Video to launch short-form news feature

- **Chart of the week:** Many Americans favor government restrictions on news if it threatens national security, contains false info

### 🔥 **Featured story**

Federal court proceedings this week revealed an [extended fight between the Justice Department and LinkedIn,](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/linked-in-justice-department-case-arguments-01077872) with the government **seeking to obtain details on a journalist’s interactions** on the site as it investigates a leak surrounding what it calls a matter of national security. This is one of [several](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/23/doj-issued-then-withdrew-subpoenas-force-post-wsj-reporters-testify/) recent [cases](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/14/washington-post-reporter-search/) that hinge on **the balance between the government’s national security interests and First Amendment protections** for reporters.

Although the details of the current case are sealed, a majority of Americans say it is rarely (21%) or never (35%) acceptable for the **U.S. government to force journalists to reveal the identities of unnamed government sources,** according to a new [Pew Research Center survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2026/09/15/americans-value-press-freedom-but-differ-on-its-limits/) from the Pew-Knight Initiative. At the same time, about three-in-ten say this is at least sometimes acceptable.

Americans look at this topic differently depending on the circumstances. While most Americans (80%) say it is at least sometimes acceptable for U.S. news organizations to keep a source's identity secret, far fewer (47%) say the same about a news outlet publishing confidential information from government sources. And an even smaller share (24%) say it is at least sometimes OK for journalists to publish classified details about military operations during an active conflict.

### 🚨 **New from Pew Research Center**

Most Americans see freedom of the press – protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – as important to society. **But their support for press freedom is far from absolute,** according to a [new Pew Research Center study](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2026/09/15/americans-value-press-freedom-but-differ-on-its-limits/) from the [Pew-Knight Initiative](https://www.pewresearch.org/collections/pew-knight-initiative/).

While Americans largely support press freedom in principle, **half or more also say the government should be able to restrict news reporting in certain cases,** particularly if it endangers national security or contains inaccurate information.

*[Take the quiz](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/quiz/how-much-do-you-know-about-the-first-amendment/)* *to see how much you know about the First Amendment and how you compare to U.S. adults.*

### 📌 **In other news**

- **60 Minutes** makes its [return under new leadership](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/business/media/60-minutes-season-premiere-bari-weiss.html?unlocked_article_code=1.BFE.ItOf.5BvdOsU578PC&smid=url-share) as [ratings decline](https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/60-minutes-season-debut-tv-ratings-drop-cbs-news-nfl-blame-1236863080/); plus, a look at **Pete Hegseth’s** [involvement in one segment](https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/12/politics/pentagon-pressed-airmen-shot-down-over-iran-to-participate-in-60-minutes-interview)

- **McClatchy** conducts [large round of layoffs](https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-miami-herald-mcclatchy-c27bcd1a875f1b788afe8b49c1f8beaf) affecting Miami Herald, other papers

- **EU Commission** [proposes social media ban](https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-commission-proposes-social-media-ban-children-under-13-2026-09-17/) for children under 13

- A look at **Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent**’**s** [tense relationship with the media](https://www.semafor.com/article/09/13/2026/inside-the-us-treasury-secretarys-tense-relationship-with-financial-media)

- The **digital revival of Black magazines** as [an email newsletter](https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/premium-inbox-glossy-knowing-all-digital-classic-black-magazines-geneva-thomas.php)

- Is **Polymarket** a [new form of media company](https://www.wired.com/story/prediction-markets-polymarket-media-company-kalshi/)?

- **OpenAI** partners with news provider in **Canada** to [provide local community services information](https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/openai-canada-villager-media-news)

- **The New York Times** hires veteran editor Michael Hirschorn to [bring back media column](https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/new-york-times-michael-hirschorn-media-equation-columnist/)

### 📅 **Looking ahead**

**Amazon Prime Video** [recently announced](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/14/amazon-prime-video-takes-on-tiktok-with-short-form-news-clips/) plans to roll out a new **short-form news** video content feature on its apps, allowing users to **view national and local news stories** in a similar format to what they may find on other apps like **TikTok.**

Both **streaming and short-form video content have attracted large audiences** in recent years, including for news. In a [2025 survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/01/83-of-us-adults-use-streaming-services-far-fewer-subscribe-to-cable-or-satellite-tv/) of U.S. adults, 83% said they ever watch streaming services, including **67% who watch Amazon Prime Video** specifically. And among Americans who get news from television, 34% [said in a separate survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/11/20/when-americans-say-they-get-news-from-tv-what-do-they-mean/) that this news mostly comes from streaming services.

Meanwhile, one-in-five U.S. adults [said last year](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/09/25/1-in-5-americans-now-regularly-get-news-on-tiktok-up-sharply-from-2020/) that they regularly get news from TikTok, up sharply from just 3% in 2020. The shares of Americans who get news on YouTube and Instagram have also increased during this time.

### 📊 **Chart of the week**

This week’s chart comes from our [new report](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2026/09/15/americans-value-press-freedom-but-differ-on-its-limits/) from the Pew-Knight Initiative about Americans’ views of press freedom.

A majority of U.S. adults say that the U.S. government should be able to require a news organization to take down a news story if it poses a risk to national security. About half say the same about a story containing false information. However, most Americans say the U.S. government should *not* be able to require this if the story clearly favors one political side or is critical of the government.

### Many Americans favor government restrictions on news if it threatens national security, contains false info

*% of U.S. adults who say that the U.S. government should be able to require a news organization to take down a news story if it …*

|  | No | Yes | Not sure |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poses a risk to national security | 23 | 60 | 18 |
| Contains false information | 33 | 51 | 16 |
| Clearly favors one political side | 72 | 14 | 14 |
| Is critical of the government | 77 | 10 | 13 |

Note: Respondents who did not answer are not shown.

Source: Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted June 22-28, 2026.
“Americans Value Press Freedom but Differ on Its Limits”

*👋 That’s all for this week.*

The Briefing is compiled by Pew Research Center staff, including Naomi Forman-Katz, Christopher St. Aubin, Emily Tomasik, Joanne Haner, and Sawyer Reed. It is edited by Michael Lipka and copy edited by David Kent.

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