A long, bitter fight is looming in the Knesset over a new government-backed bill that would limit the activities of the news media on the grounds of protecting the privacy of individuals and their communications. The measure, presented by the Justice Ministry, is titled “The Protection of Privacy” bill. The news media have denounced it as a major assault on freedom of the press.
The bill concedes that it is difficult to define privacy and other countries have left it up to the courts. But it specifically would ban the publication of a letter or other document without the consent of the sender or the receiver. This, for example, would have prevented Defense Minister Ezer Weizman’s angry letter of resignation to Premier Menachem Begin this week from becoming public knowledge.
Another clause would prohibit news photographers from photographing anyone without that person’s consent if publication of the photograph could embarrass the subject. This would prevent photographs of suspects being brought to court. A similar measure, introduced by two MKs as private members’ bills, would ban publication of suspects’ names until they are actually charged with a crime. Haaretz, in an editorial today, charged that the bill was evidently designed to protect government agencies and their heads rather than protecting the individual.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
