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Content related to the Center for Media Law and Policy’s activities and people.

UNC’s Dual Degree Students in Media Law Land Top Internships

By on May 21, 2020 in Center for Media Law and Policy

Ashley Fox

Although COVID-19 has changed summer plans for some of our dual degree students, UNC’s MA/JD students in media law often intern at some of the nation’s top media organizations, think-tanks, and government agencies. These internships give students a chance to see the media law principles they’re studying in action and also practice and share what they’re learning with these organizations.

Last summer, Ashley Fox, a UNC MA/JD student and fellow with the new UNC Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP), interned in the Office of Information Policy (OIP) at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.  The OIP oversees federal agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. The office handles FOIA requests submitted by the public, adjudicates appeals from initial FOIA requests, publishes public guidance on FOIA, conducts training for FOIA practitioners in other government agencies, and reviews annual reports from those other agencies.

At OIP, Fox primarily worked with the Appeals team, where she reviewed FOIA appeals submitted by the public. She also helped to update the office’s guidance on certain provisions of FOIA and reviewed proposed legislation for potential effects on FOIA.

During her time at OIP, the U. S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media, which clarified which information held by the government qualifies as “confidential.” If the information is confidential it does not need to be released under FOIA, the Court ruled. As a result, Fox helped draft new guidance for federal agencies on how to apply FOIA’s confidential information exemption.

Fox said the MA/JD program at UNC helped prepare her for her internship because it gave her important background knowledge about FOIA and the importance of government transparency.

“Knowing the importance of laws like FOIA and the government’s interest in protecting certain information helped me appreciate the work conducted by the attorneys in the office when they’re applying FOIA to decide what information to release and what information should be withheld under the law,” she said.

Fox said she saw that the OIP valued government transparency. “The staff and attorneys at OIP who are making decisions under FOIA really do want to get it right. Each day, they’re trying to balance the government’s desire––and sometimes need––to protect certain information with the public’s interest in knowing what their government is doing.”

Fox will intern this summer for a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. That internship will begin virtually in June.

Isabela Palmieri

Isabela Palmieri, a first-year MA/JD student at UNC, interned at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) in Philadelphia last summer. FIRE is a nonprofit organization that defends students’ and faculty’s First Amendment rights in higher education. Additionally, FIRE educates students, faculty, alumni, trustees, and the public about the threats to these rights.

During her internship at FIRE, Palmieri worked on policy recommendations for colleges and universities. She said that one of her favorite projects was working on a model policy about how universities allocate student fees. The policy focused on ensuring that public colleges and universities were designating fees in a constitutional manner.

At FIRE, Palmieri said she learned more about many different free speech issues in higher education, including the firing of professors for their views, revoking speaker invitations, and lack of recognition for or equal treatment of certain student organizations.

Palmieri said that the UNC MA/JD program in media law was great preparation for her internship at FIRE. She said she felt the program gave her an advantage and helped her stand out in the applicant pool.

“In law school you learn about broad First Amendment ideologies and how the law came to be what it is today, but working at FIRE made me see how those ideals affect higher education – from what student organizations should be recognized on campus, to what information students are allowed or not allowed to learn,” she said.  “It made me realize how much First Amendment values influence our higher education institutions and how important it is to craft laws that protect both education and free speech.”

Palmieri was scheduled to intern at Pepper Hamilton in Philadelphia, but that was cancelled due to COVID-19. Instead, she is taking a summer class and working on media law research, including her work on Anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions laws. Since 2015, twenty-seven states have enacted legislation prohibiting the boycotting of Israel by any entity procuring a government contract, called Anti-BDS laws. The laws raise several First Amendment concerns. Palmieri’s work in this area resulted in a second place student award in the Law Division of the Southeast Regional Colloquium of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).

To support students who seek these summer experiences, the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy administers a grant program to assist students who want experience in the areas of media law and media policy, including working at media organizations, nonprofits, law firms, advocacy groups, and research centers. The summer grant program provides funds to students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy.

-Kriste Patrow, UNC Media Law Ph.D. Candidate

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Faculty and Student Opportunities at UNC’s Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP)

By on May 15, 2020 in Center for Media Law and Policy, Internet

UNC’s recently launched Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP) is looking for faculty and students to join its growing community, including faculty research fellows, faculty affiliates, and graduate student affiliates.

CITAP is a bold initiative at UNC dedicated to researching, understanding, and responding to the growing impact of the internet, social media, and other forms of digital information sharing. CITAP’s goals include tackling broad research questions with real-world implications for information gathering, social media regulation, democratic governance, journalism, and civic understanding. Researchers and affiliates will work to develop a comprehensive understanding of information environments that will serve as a baseline for emergent research focused on the interaction of information and technology, particularly in the context of misinformation, partisanship, polarization, propaganda, and political institutions.

UNC CITAP Faculty Research Fellow

CITAP is seeking a Faculty Research Fellow to start in August 2020 and serve for one academic year. The position is restricted to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty. The Faculty Research Fellow will receive $15,000 in research funds, and will be expected to attend CITAP events and give a public presentation of their work at the end of the fellowship.

The successful applicant will join a vibrant research community anchored by CITAP’s four principal researchers—Deen Freelon (Hussman School of Journalism and Media), Daniel Kreiss (Hussman), Alice Marwick (Dept. of Communication), and Zeynep Tufekci (School of Information and Library Sciences)—the affiliated UNC Center for Media Law and Policy (David Ardia and Tori Ekstrand), and two Senior Faculty Researchers, Tressie McMillan Cottom (SILS) and Shannon McGregor (Hussman).

CITAP affiliates will meet regularly for research updates and internal presentations.

To apply, please email a one-page proposed research project that complements the aims of the center and the work of its scholars along with a CV to CITAP Principal Alice Marwick at amarwick@unc.edu.  The deadline to apply is Sept. 1, 2020.

UNC CITAP Faculty Affiliates

Faculty Affiliates can come from a broad range of academic and research institutions, especially in North Carolina. We invite applications from people working on issues related to CITAP, broadly focused on the intersection of technology and media, platforms, misinformation, partisanship, polarization, propaganda, political institutions, and journalism. Affiliates may collaborate with CITAP researchers on topics of relevance to its mission and participate in CITAP events, and will be listed in the “Faculty Affiliates” section of the CITAP website.

We invite those with CITAP faculty affiliations to attend CITAP events, collaborate with our researchers and graduate students, and join our extended community in resource and information sharing.

To apply, please email a bio, CV, and list of relevant publications to CITAP Principal Researcher Daniel Kreiss at dkreiss@email.unc.edu.

UNC CITAP Graduate Student Affiliates

Graduate Student Affiliates can come from a broad range of academic and research institutions, especially in North Carolina. We invite applications from people working on issues related to CITAP, broadly focused on the intersection of technology and media, platforms, misinformation, partisanship, polarization, propaganda, political institutions, and journalism. Affiliates may collaborate with CITAP researchers on topics of relevance to its mission and participate in CITAP events, and will be listed in the “Faculty Affiliates” section of the CITAP website.

We invite those with CITAP graduate student  affiliations to attend CITAP events, collaborate with our researchers and graduate students, and join our extended community in resource and information sharing.

To apply, please send a short cover letter explaining how your research interests relate to the work of CITAP, bio, CV, and list of relevant publications to CITAP Principal Researcher Daniel Kreiss at dkreiss@email.unc.edu.

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A UNC Student’s Summer Experience at the Future of Privacy Forum

By on May 14, 2020 in Center for Media Law and Policy, Privacy

Each summer, the Center for Media Law and Policy provides financial support through its summer grants program to UNC law and graduate students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy. The writeup below is from Meredith Richards, a rising third-year law student at the UNC School of Law, who interned at the Future of Privacy Forum last summer and received one of the Center’s grants:

Last summer I had the opportunity to work as an intern for the Future of Privacy Forum in Washington, DC. The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) is a think-tank that explores the legal challenges posed by rapid technological innovation and works to develop privacy protections and responsible business practices. FPF conducts research on privacy in a variety of areas, including AI and machine learning, biometrics, facial recognition, connected cars, education, IoT, and location and advertising practices.

As an intern, I worked with the advertising and location-tracking technology policy team to research current business standards and data collection practices, as well as to track and analyze any new emerging legislation concerning data privacy, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act. Because FPF engages with both corporate leaders and legislators, I also helped the policy counsel by developing informational content for these stakeholders on data privacy issues, including a blog post explaining the changes in the National Advertising Institute’s 2020 Code of Conduct and a white paper exploring the multitude of ways in which location data can be tracked and collected.

The policy team at FPF was extremely involved with the summer interns and ensured that we had the opportunity to connect with other privacy professionals in the DC area. My fellow interns and I were often encouraged to attend panels and conferences, including those hosted at the Brookings Institute and the FTC’s PrivacyCon. Because FPF hosts events with industry leaders, I also had the opportunity to meet people from EFF, IAPP, and several prominent privacy law firms in the area. We even had scheduled visits to the Facebook and Google DC offices, as well as joint happy hours with students in privacy programs at other law schools.

Outside of work, living in Washington, DC is exciting and there was an endless list of things to do and see. In my spare time, I visited the Smithsonian, National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, National Mall, and many of the other great sites that our nation’s capital has to offer. The food is also spectacular! Every Thursday at lunch, my fellow interns and I would make the short walk to the best farmer’s market and food truck rodeo located in front of the White House. And I already miss the cupcakes from Baked and Wired and the tapas at Boqueria.

Since the summer, I was invited to continue working with FPF throughout the fall semester. I worked primarily on research regarding federal preemption of state privacy bills, like the CCPA. Overall, this experience not only provided me with in-depth insight into privacy regulation and compliance, but established invaluable connections with privacy professionals, who have inspired me to pursue a career in privacy law. I am so grateful to everyone at FPF for encouraging me and I highly recommend any students who are interested in media law or privacy to apply.

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2020 Summer Grants for UNC Law and Graduate Students Interested in Media Law and Policy

By on April 8, 2020 in Center for Media Law and Policy

summer-job-pictureAre you interested in pursuing a career in media law or policy?  Are you worried that you won’t be able to take that plum summer job in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, or Washington, because it’s just too expensive to live there.  Well, the Center for Media Law and Policy is here to help.  For the ninth year in a row, the Center will be providing grants to UNC law and graduate students who have a summer job in the field of media law or media policy.

The Center’s summer grants program provides funds to UNC law and graduate students taking unpaid or low-paying jobs in the fields of media law or media policy. In past years, UNC students have received a summer grant to support their work at a wide range of organizations, including the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Public Radio, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), Future of Privacy Forum, Student Press Law Center, Broadway Video Group, Screen Media Ventures, American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.

Wait, you don’t have a summer job yet?!  Head over to our media law and policy Jobs Center, where you will find dozens of summer (and post-graduate) employment opportunities. You can easily find the perfect job for you by using our advanced search feature to search by location, keyword, or practice area.  Also, try browsing by job type or category for a more expansive look at the jobs listed. Still not sure what you want to do for the summer?  You can read about the summer experiences of your fellow students on the Center’s blog.

Requirements and Information on How to Apply for a Summer Grant

You must be a UNC law student or graduate student to apply. You will need to download the application form and send it directly to us at medialaw [at] unc.edu along with the other supporting material described below. Please put “Summer Grant Application” in the subject. The deadline for applying for a summer grant is April 24, 2020.

Law students who applied through the law school’s Summer Public Interest Grant Program are also eligible for a Center grant. You do not need to apply to the Center separately. Simply check the box on the general application for “Media Law or Policy” under the heading “Substantive Areas Your Summer Employment Will Involve” and you will be automatically considered for Center funds in addition to the law school grant.

Applications will be evaluated based on (a) your demonstrated commitment to working in the areas of media law or policy and (b) the quality of your essays (each essay should not be more than 500 words).

Required documents include:

  1. Resume (without grade information)
  2. Offer letter from your employer
  3. Essays (no more than 500 words each) *

* Essay questions:

  • Essay #1: Describe your work responsibilities and how they relate to media law or media policy.
  • Essay #2: Describe your commitment to public service. How have your past interests and work experiences contributed to your proposed summer internship responsibilities?
  • Essay #3: How do you see this summer work experience contributing to your long-term career goals?

Be sure to check out these Tips for Writing a Strong Grant Application. You will be notified of a decision in April.

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Cleary Student Paper Competition Honors Attorney James Cleary, a Passionate Supporter of Journalism

By on February 27, 2020 in Center for Media Law and Policy

This year marks the second year of the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy’s James R. Cleary Student Paper Competition. Cash prizes are awarded to the student authors of published papers that most creatively and convincingly propose solutions to significant problems in the field of media law and policy, including First Amendment speech and press issues.

The competition was made possible by James Cleary’s daughter, Dr. Johanna Cleary, a Ph.D. graduate of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism Media and a former Park Fellow. Kriste Patrow, a UNC Ph.D. candidate in the School, asked Dr. Cleary about her Dad and his legacy.

Q: So, can you start by telling me a little bit about the work your father did?

Cleary: Well, my Dad was in a general practice most of his life, but he always had a great interest in and passion for the media. In fact, the way he paid his way through his undergraduate degree and a lot of his law school expenses was by working in radio.

Dad, as a teenager, began working as a radio announcer in the 1940s. He worked at some smaller stations in Alabama and then a featured spot on one of the major stations in Birmingham, Alabama. His radio show, at the time he was doing it, was actually the number-one rated program in the country. He was part of a group that put the first television station on the air in Huntsville, Alabama, which was very much a growing city at the time. And he also was part of a partnership that put together the second newspaper in Huntsville.

So, he had this great love for media and a great interest in it. He also understood the importance of law to our society, and so he ultimately went on to law school and was a practicing attorney for about 56 years.

Q: What kind of work did he do as an attorney?

Cleary: Well, because my Dad was in a general practice, his media specific work was geographically determined.  Basically he was admitted to the group that could practice before the Federal Communications Commission. He did a lot of the legal work in terms of setting up the ownership for those stations, which is a pretty complicated process. So, from a very hands-on standpoint he was very committed to the importance of the media, and I think philosophically, the importance of the media to democracy. I think Dad really did believe in the Fourth Estate — that there is an important role in the press to play in preserving a democracy for us.

Q: So, he believed in the media’s role as a watchdog on government?

Cleary: The important thing that my father really believed in was an informed and educated population – the idea Aristotle had that informed people can make good decisions for themselves. That being informed just doesn’t happen by magic. There is a lot of work that goes into that: Work both on the part of the media and the part of the public, the consuming public.

Q: Can you tell me a bit about what inspired you to donate to the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy in particular?

Cleary: I am a product of the doctoral program there, and I was very fortunate to receive one of the Park Fellowships. So, I was very grateful to the School and to the Park family for having that opportunity. I could have gone to any number of different initiatives, but I knew the national reputation of the media law program there. I knew the individuals involved with the Center’s leadership there and certainly have the highest of opinions of them.

The Center was kind of getting up and running really at the time that my Dad visited UNC when I graduated. So, he had an idea of the quality of the program there. I think he highly approved of what was being done there and where they were going.

The importance of the press to our democracy just can’t be overstated and neither can the role that media law plays in making sure that stays the case. I mean, this isn’t just something that happens by luck and chance.

So, it was a collection of a lot of things. It just seemed to be the perfect match. I’m very pleased that they had the idea of creating this award in honor of my father. That’s very meaningful.

Q: What are your hopes for the Cleary Award moving forward?

Cleary:  That’s a good question. I think people are looking toward the emerging scholars to say “Where do we go? What are the things we need to know? What are the rules that we need to come up with? Where do we leave it alone? Where do we need to roll up our sleeves and get involved?” This time, more so than any I remember, students have the opportunity to shape the future. My hope for the award is that it will recognize the impact that student scholars are already having and encourage the potential they have to shape, certainly the media field, but really our democracy to a large extent.

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