This episode of Crash Course in Government and Politics provides a general overview of the First Amendment’s freedom of the press. Like an individual’s right to free speech, the press has a right, and arguably an ethical responsibility, to tell the public what the government is doing. But there are some complications in doing so, such as if that information will compromise national security or wrongfully discredit an individual. When considering Edward Snowden’s NSA disclosures or Julian Assange’s Wikileaks, it’s just as important as ever to understand the role of the press in informing the public as well as our role as citizens in staying informed.

Produced in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios: http://youtube.com/pbsdigitalstudios