Freedom of the Press Foundation

Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) is an American nonprofit founded on December 17, 2012, with a mission to support and defend free speech and press freedom. What began as a crowdfunding platform for independent journalism has grown into a multifaceted organization that combines technical innovation, legal advocacy, and public education. FPF is best known for developing SecureDrop, a secure communication tool that allows whistleblowers and sources to share information with journalists anonymously, protecting both the source and the story.

The organization was launched by a coalition of journalists, activists, and technologists, including Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers, and John Perry Barlow, a founding member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Over the years, FPF has expanded its work to include training journalists on digital security, advocating for stronger legal protections for press freedom, and publishing transparency reports on government surveillance. With a small but dedicated team, FPF has become a vital resource for journalists worldwide, operating at the intersection of technology, law, and journalism.

FPF's work has gained particular urgency in an era of increasing threats to press freedom, from surveillance and hacking to legal intimidation. The organization's tools and resources are used by newsrooms of all sizes, from major outlets to independent reporters, ensuring that the public's right to know is protected. While not a household name, FPF's impact is felt in every investigation that relies on confidential sources, making it a cornerstone of modern journalism. [edit]

FPF's core mission is to protect, defend, and empower public-interest journalism in the 21st century. The organization operates at the intersection of technology, law, and journalism, focusing on four main activities: developing open-source software for secure communication, challenging government overreach and surveillance through legal advocacy, training journalists on digital security, and advocating for First and Fourth Amendment protections specifically for the press. A defining feature is its financial independence; FPF explicitly does not accept government funding, relying instead on donations from individuals and foundations to maintain operational integrity. [edit]

FPF was established in late 2012 out of a need to provide technical infrastructure that could protect sources and journalists from state and corporate surveillance. The founding team, which included Daniel Ellsberg, John Perry Barlow, Trevor Timm, and Rainey Reitman, initially conceived the organization as a crowdfunding platform for independent media. That focus quickly expanded into a broader technical and legal advocacy group as the scale of digital threats to journalism became clear.

One of the earliest and most significant projects was the development of SecureDrop, which began as a collaboration with the late Aaron Swartz. The platform was formally launched in 2013 and rapidly gained adoption among major news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. SecureDrop became the industry standard for secure source submission, enabling landmark investigations like the Snowden leaks and the Panama Papers.

Over the following decade, FPF expanded its portfolio to include digital security training for journalists, public education campaigns, and legal challenges to government surveillance. The organization also began publishing annual transparency reports, which track surveillance requests and assess the state of press freedom globally. In August 2026, FPF joined The Intercept in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and Trump Media & Technology Group, challenging the sale of early access to official Truth Social posts as unconstitutional. That same month, it partnered with Reporters Without Borders to demand transparency from Paramount Global over its acquisition of media companies, highlighting ongoing concerns about media consolidation. [edit]