General reference and news industry information
Ethics codes, social media verification, fact-checking
Investigative journalism resources and organizations, public records research tips and websites
Research institutes and nonprofits with free resources and tutorials
LEGAL HELP
Copyright, fair use, libel, privacy, public domain, and reporter's privilege
Radio, photojournalism and videography, multimedia examples
Style guides, grammar help, math help, lists of journalism links
Resources
Legal Help
COPYRIGHT, FAIR USE, LIBEL, PRIVACY, PUBLIC DOMAIN AND REPORTER'S PRIVILEGE
Legal Help
General Legal Sites
The Berkman Center for Internet & Society
The Berkman Center focuses on studying cyberspace, sharing its investigations, and advocating for reforms. You can find research and reports on subjects such as copyright, privacy and privacy tools.
This site provides legal guides and advice aimed at citizen journalists and anyone else publishing information online (from Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society).
Electronic Frontier Foundation
A nonprofit organization that advocates for civil liberties online. The site has helpful information about fair use, copyright, and privacy issues.
This site provides resources, tip sheets, news about legal issues for college and high school student news media. It has especially helpful information about fair use, copyright and libel issues, and you can call or email for answers to specific legal questions.
First Amendment and Freedom of Information Act
Cornell University Law School First Amendment page
The website provides helpful information about the First Amendment.
The U.S. Department of Justice has a Freedom of Information Act website, with tutorials on how to submit a FOIA request.
The Freedom Forum operates this website. It provides news and information about the First Amendment.
The Investigative Reporters & Editors FOIA Resource Center is the site for anything FOIA, including helpful information about the Act, links to help you file a request and a collection of documents from previously filed requests.
The National Freedom of Information Coalition
This nonprofit organization provides a handy state-by-state breakdown of open meetings and sunshine laws. It’s a great resource for quickly finding out about your state’s open meetings and records laws, a freedom of information blog and news.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
This nonprofit organization was founded in 1970, during “a wave of government subpoenas asking reporters to name confidential sources.” The site provides a First Amendment Handbook, guides, legal advice, a Freedom of Information request generator, a legal hotline, and reports on relevant issues.
This organization aims to help protect freedom of the press around the world, which sometimes means working to protect journalists’ lives. Founded by four French journalists in 1995, it is also known as Reporters sans Frontieres.
Copyright
Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines
The Stanford University libraries website on copyright and fair use is also well-organized, easy to use and comprehensive.
A comprehensive and easy-to-use guide from Columbia University libraries.
Cornell University’s Copyright Information Center
The website provides tutorials and training, as well as a helpful chart for helping you determine whether a copyrighted work is in the public domain.
The Digital Image Rights Computator
This is an online tool to help you determine whether you can use a particular image without obtaining permission from the copyright holder (from the Visual Resources Association).
The Center for Media & Social Impact has worked with journalists to develop this “Set of Principles for fair use for journalism.” The principles are a good way to start learning what your rights are in using copyrighted material.
Public Domain
Another good website for finding images in the public domain. Be sure to double-check licensing information for each work you’re considering using.
A website where you can both find images in the public domain and create your own copyright license that allows you to share with the general public with a selection of limitation. Be sure to double-check licensing information for each work you’re considering using.
One place to look for images in the public domain. Be sure to double-check licensing information for each work you are interested in using.