[GA - Passed] Protecting Press Freedoms

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Protecting Press Freedoms
Category: Education and Creativity | Area of Effect: Free Press
Proposed by: Hulldom, Co-authored by: Wymondham, Attempted Socialism | Onsite Topic​

The General Assembly,
Noting that GAR#155: “Freedom of the Press” has been repealed,
Ascertaining that press freedoms are therefore not currently protected by the World Assembly,
Determined to ensure that media in member states continues to have robust protections which allow it to operate with little regulation, and
Committed to the idea that citizens of member states should have free access to the media, hereby:
  1. Declares that member states may not prevent the reporting of information whose reporting is necessary for the wellbeing of society as a whole or which may be of interest to the public.
  2. Allows member states to restrict the dissemination of reporting by journalists or news organizations for purposes permitted by extant World Assembly legislation.
  3. Orders that journalists or news organizations not be:
    1. subject to civil or criminal penalties for the content they produce by member state governments beyond the exceptions nations may avail themselves of in clause (2), or
    2. required to produce material reflecting any particular ideology or viewpoint excepting that which journalists agree to do so contractually.
  4. Requires that news organizations:
    1. create content warnings for material that may not be suitable for consumption by minors,
    2. not prevent citizens from accessing content created by themselves or any journalist affiliated with them except to prevent individuals below the age of majority from accessing content inappropriate for consumption by minors, and
    3. implement said content warnings, subject to the discretion of each news organization.
Co-authors: Wymondham, Attempted Socialism
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Note: Only votes from TNP WA nations and NPA personnel will be counted. If you do not meet these requirements, please add (non-WA) or something of that effect to your vote.
Voting Instructions:
  • Vote For if you want the Delegate to vote For the resolution.
  • Vote Against if you want the Delegate to vote Against the resolution.
  • Vote Abstain if you want the Delegate to abstain from voting on this resolution.
  • Vote Present if you are personally abstaining from this vote.
Detailed opinions with your vote are appreciated and encouraged!

ForAgainstAbstainPresent
18101
 
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Overview
This proposal seeks to provide protections to the press and journalists, after the repeal of GAR#155. It does so by prohibiting member nations from restricting freedom of the press except where allowed under World Assembly law, or where to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content.

Recommendation
This resolution's phrasing does not pose any ambiguity that could threaten the freedom of the press -- as was the case for GAR#155 -- giving the press the protections and freedoms necessary for its proper functioning and ensuring that journalists are not punished for the exercise of their role. Yet, it also imposes reasonable regulations to protect consumers from inappropriate content.

For the above reasons, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote FOR the General Assembly proposal at vote, "Protecting Press Freedoms".
 
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Author and co-authors seem strangely familiar to me... No idea why, though.

For
 
Elfnotonashelf:
Against
Clause 3.1 troubles me, this seems to rule out libel cases. Again clause 3.1 seems to exclude penalties for leaking classified and or national security matters. I know clause 2 speaks of extant WA legislation but I can't support this proposal in its current form.
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It doesn't. GA#436 would explicitly let libel (taken under the umbrella of defamation) or natsec related prosecutions.
 
Hulldom:
It doesn't. GA#436 would explicitly let libel (taken under the umbrella of defamation) or natsec related prosecutions.
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I wasn't sure if GA#436 would still be valid with this resolution in mind. In particular national security concerns. My only issue was those clauses.
 
(Non-WA) I am for this. The proposal is structurally sound, fair and detailed in its provisions, and it pursues good policy. I am seething with rage over the full stops at the end of clauses 1, 2, and 3 (which ought to be commas or semicolons), but let that not stop a good piece of legislation from becoming law.
 
Hulldom:
This is mine so Present, obviously.
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Technically you are delegate anyway...

Hulldom:
It doesn't. GA#436 would explicitly let libel (taken under the umbrella of defamation) or natsec related prosecutions.
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Defamation is a much trickier subject as it can really go both ways. I explicitly raised in GA#633 the standard for defamation in investment research from "preponderance of evidence" to "prove beyond reasonable doubt of actual malice". But that's quite a special case. Imposing this standard in press freedoms though would be trickier.
 
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