By: Alex Burke
Questions surfaced about whether students feel safe speaking openly during a University of Maryland discussion led by Kevin Goldberg, vice president and First Amendment expert at Freedom Forum. BrieAnna J. Frank, USA TODAY’s First Amendment reporter, also moderated.
Their discussion on media law and ethics and the importance of the constitutional protections prompted reflections about the challenges student journalists face. Whether students can share their opinions online or with the media also became a point of conversation.
Lizzy Alspach, a senior journalism and Spanish languages major, also moderated the discussion. She explained that in her role as editor-in-chief of The Diamondback, UMD’s independent student newspaper, she has seen a general “media weariness” when it comes to approaching sources.
Goldberg explained that the Freedom Forum conducts a survey called Where America Stands, which measures Americans’ general knowledge of the First Amendment and their views on free speech. According to Goldberg, the survey found that Gen Z is particularly afraid to speak their minds on political issues out of fear of becoming a “social pariah.”
82 percent said that they are afraid to speak freely.
Sophomore journalism major Isabella Torkambour echoed that concern when she attended the panel, stating that she is often reluctant to share her opinions on social media.
“I’ve always been someone who has pretty strong opinions,” Torkambour said. “But I am a bit weary of what I say because I don’t know how it will be perceived by everyone.”
Frank said that recent events, like the Israel-Gaza war and the assasination of Charlie Kirk, had a major impact on both the media and the public’s approach to political expression.
“We saw this wave of people being fired or otherwise punished for comments that they made,” Frank said. “People weren’t free to speak their mind, especially… statements on social media.”
Alspach said her writers have faced pushback when covering groups such as Turning Point USA and advocacy groups for Israel and Palestine, mentioning she experienced many difficulties with sources not wanting to go on the record with their statements in order to prevent drawing attention to themselves.
“We definitely saw a lot of people that are weary of the media,” Alspach said. “There’s just been a lot of fear and concern.”
Despite the apprehensions surrounding the media, Alspach emphasized that student journalists have a responsibility to prioritize accuracy and fairness.
“There are people fighting to try to make sure people have this publicly available information,” she said. “There are people that are trying to make this work and that gives me hope.”
Frank said her work as a First Amendment reporter keeps her optimistic for the future, as she receives positive responses for her commitment to factual, reliable reporting that builds trust and clarity for readers who might otherwise disengage from the news.
“I love the craft. I love doing this,” Frank said. “Even though things are really difficult, I try to center myself. I truly love the work itself.”