Shield law

So, imagine you have a secret. Maybe it’s a surprise party you’re planning for your mom’s birthday or maybe it’s something more serious, like information that could get a person in trouble. Now imagine you’re a reporter or a journalist, and someone tells you that secret. They trust you with that secret so you can write about it and tell people what’s going on.

But some people might not want you to write the story. Maybe they’re afraid of getting in trouble, or they just don’t want the secret to get out. They might try to force you to tell them who gave you the secret. That’s where a shield law comes in.

A shield law is like a superpower for journalists. It’s a special law that says you don’t have to tell anyone who gave you the secret. You can keep your sources confidential, just like you promised you would. This helps protect journalists from being forced to tell secrets they were trusted with and allows them to continue doing their job of informing the public without fear of legal consequences.

Think of it like a shield that protects you from anyone who wants to take away your secret or make you reveal it. Just like a superhero needs a shield to protect them from harm, journalists need shield laws to protect them and the sources who trust them.