JournalismPakistan.com | Published June 12, 2024
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NEW YORK—The U.S. media industry is facing a significant challenge as several companies, including major streaming services, are hit with class-action lawsuits under the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA). This wave of litigation alleges that these companies have been illegally sharing viewers' video history data with third parties, such as Meta, without explicit consent.
The VPPA, established in 1988, is designed to protect consumers' video viewing privacy. Recent lawsuits claim that various media companies have violated this law by using tracking pixels that share users' video-watching habits with Meta and other entities. This legal action could have substantial financial and reputational repercussions for the implicated companies.
The outcome of these lawsuits could reshape data privacy practices across the media sector. Companies may need to enhance their compliance measures by implementing more robust consent management tools and eliminating unauthorized data-sharing practices. Failure to adapt could result in severe penalties and loss of consumer trust.
Organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) are calling for greater transparency and fairness in the investigation processes. They urge law enforcement to focus on genuine threats to journalists and media freedom rather than retaliating against those reporting on contentious issues.
March 25, 2025: Turkish authorities must release detained journalists covering protests and end press crackdowns. CPJ condemns police violence and home raids targeting media workers.
March 16, 2025: The Trump administration has ordered furloughs at U.S.-funded broadcasters, including Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia, raising concerns about press freedom and government control over media funding.
March 08, 2025: Senior UK TV producers are taking shelf-stacking and pub jobs as the industry faces a prolonged crisis. Thousands are unemployed, with freelancers struggling to find work. Learn more about the factors behind this collapse.
February 28, 2025: CPJ urges Russian authorities to drop charges against journalist Ekaterina Barabash, who faces up to 10 years in jail for criticizing the Ukraine invasion. Learn how fake news laws are being used to silence dissenting voices in Russia.
February 21, 2025: Ghanaian authorities must investigate the attack on five journalists covering Ashanti Region elections. CPJ urges accountability to ensure press freedom and safety.
February 07, 2025: Mozambican journalist Albino Sibia was killed while filming police brutality, and reporter Pedro Junior was shot covering his funeral. Arlindo Chissale remains missing. These attacks highlight the dire state of press freedom in Mozambique amid post-election unrest.
February 04, 2025: Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has opened a criminal case for disclosure of state secrets following Ukrainska Pravda’s report on statements by military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. CPJ urges authorities to respect press freedom and journalist protections.
February 02, 2025: Journalist Alejandro Gallegos Leon was found dead in Tabasco, Mexico after being reported missing. CPJ urges authorities to swiftly investigate and address the ongoing violence against journalists.
March 26, 2025 A district court in Islamabad granted the FIA a two-day physical remand of journalist Waheed Murad. He was arrested under the PECA Act for sharing a report by exiled journalist Ahmad Noorani on social media. His arrest involved armed men in black uniforms, according to his family.
March 25, 2025 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has promised to name a journalism department in an educational institution after slain journalist Arshad Sharif. This follows a suggestion by analyst Ather Kazmi during an interview.
March 25, 2025 The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the arrest of Karachi journalist Farhan Mallick, founder of Raftar, demanding his immediate release. The PFUJ has also denounced the case, calling it an attack on press freedom in Pakistan.
March 24, 2025 Who will be responsible if my sons are harmed?" cries a mother in Islamabad High Court, pleading for justice after her sons' alleged abduction. The court summons the IG police over the alleged kidnapping. The family claims intelligence agencies are involved.
March 24, 2025 Explore the 10 critical reasons why Pakistan's legacy media continues to disappoint, from political bias and corporate influence to digital transition failures and unsustainable business models in Pakistani journalism.