Beware, Revamped and Tougher Official Secrets Laws are Coming!

In her 2021 annual official speech, Queen Elizabeth II announced a series of reforms to legislation aiming to counter hostile activity by foreign states in the UK. The Official Secrets Acts of 1911, 1920, 1939 and 1989 are expected to see modifications, including on issues related to unauthorized disclosure of official material. 

What are the implications of these developments on the work of journalists?

In his latest article for the International Forum for Responsible Media, (Inforrm for short), CMDS author, Barry White writes "The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has always been concerned about how official secrets legislation can be used against journalists and seriously limit the right to report and hold government to account. It fears that measures will be introduced not just to prosecute someone who communicates an unauthorized disclosure, but also someone who obtains or gathers it, i.e. any reporter."

This research is part of the UK component of the Media Influence Matrix, set up to investigate the influence of shifts in policy, funding, and technology on contemporary journalism, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. It is due to report in Summer 2021.

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