Thread: PRISM
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Old 07-02-2013, 11:47 AM   #83
BigV
Goon Squad Leader
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Seattle
Posts: 27,063
similar to prefacing a conversation with:

"I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to get mad."

Really. Regardless of the answer to that question, it can't be an example of informed consent. Setting aside the whole difference between a conscious action like repeating information and experiencing a feeling, such an agreement is like prior restraint.

Quote:
Prior restraint (also referred to as prior censorship or pre-publication censorship) is censorship imposed, usually by a government, on expression before the expression actually takes place. An alternative to prior restraint is to allow the expression to take place and to take appropriate action afterward, if the expression is found to violate the law, regulations, or other rules.

Prior restraint prevents the censored material from being heard or distributed at all; other measures provide sanctions only after the offending material has been communicated, such as suits for slander or libel. In some countries (e.g., United States, Argentina) prior restraint by the government is forbidden, subject to certain exceptions, by a constitution.

Prior restraint can be effected in a number of ways. For example, the exhibition of works of art or a movie may require a license from a government authority (sometimes referred to a classification board or censorship board) before it can be published, and the failure or refusal to grant a license is a form of censorship as is the revoking of a license. It can also take the form of a legal injunction or government order prohibiting the publication of a specific document or subject. Sometimes, a government or other party becomes aware of a forthcoming publication on a particular subject and seeks to prevent it: to halt ongoing publication and prevent its resumption. These injunctions are considered prior restraint because potential future publications are stopped in advance.
...

Exceptions to restrictions on prior restraint

Not all restrictions on free speech are a breach of the prior restraint doctrine. It is widely accepted that publication of information affecting national security, particularly in wartime, may be restricted, even when there are laws that protect freedom of expression. In many cases invocation of national security is controversial, with opponents of suppression arguing that government errors and embarrassment are being covered up;
Certainly there's a question as to whether or not the material that has been revealed constitutes a harm to our national security or an embarrassment to our government, or both and to what degree. That's a conversation worth having. Our whole system of government has as one of its cornerstones openness in contrast to secrecy.
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