Barack Obama on Freedom of the press
← Back to Barack Obama ProfileSpeaking to the people of Estonia in 2014, President Obama emphasized the importance of a free press and open discourse as bulwarks against misinformation and lies.
“We have to uphold a free press and freedom of speech -- because, in the end, lies and misinformation are no match for the truth.”
“And as I’ve said elsewhere, a free press helps make a nation stronger and more successful, and it makes us leaders more effective because it demands greater accountability.”
Speaking at Aung San Suu Kyi's residence in Burma in 2014, Barack Obama asserted that a free press is fundamental to any successful and accountable democracy.
“The issue of press freedom is a constant concern in my interactions with the Chinese government. It’s an issue that I’ve raised with the President here in Burma. I’m pretty blunt and pretty frank about the fact that societies that repress journalists ultimately oppress people as well, and that if you want a society that is free and vibrant and successful, part of that formula is the free flow of information, of ideas, and that requires a free press. [...] And we believe that when governments censor or control information, that ultimately that undermines not only the society, but it leads to eventual encroachments on individual rights as well. [...] I brought up a basic principle that I stated earlier, which is that a free press is a foundation for any democracy. We rely on journalists to explain and describe the actions of our government. If the government controls the journalists, then it's very difficult for citizens to hold that government accountable.”