the right to photograph or videotape the
president while he is performing his official
duties. As surely as if they were placing a
hand over a journalist’s camera lens, officials in this administration are blocking the
public from having an independent view of
important functions of the Executive
Branch of government.”
Some people attribute the restricted
access to an insular management style used
by the president and his closest advisers;
others point to the rise of social media sites
like Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook as a
more convenient way for the White House
to disseminate information. The protest
letter cites First Amendment infringements, adding that the White House’s prac-
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