Tiago Bessa was interviewed on RTP1's Telejornal on March 13, about the new Media Freedom Act, approved by the European Parliament on March 12.
This document's approval, according to Vera Jourova, Vice-President of the European Commission, is a "clear message to journalists" that journalism is essential for democracies and, as such, it is up to democracies to know how to protect journalists.
As an expert in the area of Communications, Data Protection & Technology, Tiago Bessa explains that the new legislation prohibits "rules to determine journalists' sources and also other, more specific aspects such as the installation of software that can decrypt journalists' sources or even capture conversations or interactions between journalists and their own sources".
In addition, the new law requires the media to be more transparent about state ownership, funding and advertising.
To supervise the application of this regulation, a European organisation will be created to safeguard press freedom.
- The report is available here, starting at minute 11:55.