this post was submitted on 03 May 2025
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As someone living in a green country, could someone explain how things work in practice in the yellow or orange countries? I understand that in places like Russia or China, journalists can end up in prison, or worse, if the government doesn't like their writing. But how exactly is the press not free in countries like Canada or most European nations that are labeled yellow here?
And why is the US labeled orange? As far as I know, the media there is highly politically polarized, with most major news organizations openly supporting a particular agenda. That's certainly a serious issue and not how the press should operate, but even Trump's government isn't actively limiting the freedom of the press to report on issues like they see fit? Or am I mistaken? I'm genuinely asking.
I can give you some issues regarding press freedom in Switzerland. One issue is the Federal Banking Act which is a major concern because it can lead to self-censorship among journalists. If a journalist reports on leaked bank data, even if it's in the public interest, they risk facing criminal prosecution and up to three years in prison.
Adding to this, recent legislative changes have made it easier for individuals and companies to obtain injunctions against upcoming press publications. Previously, they had to prove that the publication would cause considerable damage, but now they just need to feel that it will affect them.