What is the primary purpose of shield laws?

• A. They require reporters to reveal sources in court.
• B. They protect journalist sources from disclosure in court, vary by jurisdiction; may shield confidential information.
• C. They prohibit publishing any anonymous information.
• D. They ensure all information becomes public domain after a fixed period.

Answer: (B)

Shield laws protect journalists' ability to gather news by safeguarding the identities of sources and other confidential information from court-ordered disclosure. They recognize that reporters often rely on confidential tips to uncover important stories, and forcing sources to reveal themselves can chill reporting and deter people from coming forward. Because these protections are created by law at the state level (with varying models and scope), the specifics can differ from one jurisdiction to another, including what types of information are covered and under what circumstances the shield can be overridden. They do not compel reporters to reveal sources, they do not ban publishing anonymous information, and they do not automatically make information public after a fixed period. The key idea is to keep confidential sources and material from being disclosed in legal proceedings.