Press regulations and the news

Should telling the truth ever come before personal safety?

Collage of pages from the “Press regulations and the news”  teaching resource showing the cover and lesson plan

Published 10 April 2026

About this lesson

Across the world, press regulations vary widely. In some places, journalists can report freely, while in others they face strict limits or even threats to their safety.

Use this lesson to help students:

  • Understand how press regulation varies around the world
  • Hear first-hand from a journalist working under restrictions
  • Consider how to balance truth, safety and responsibility in reporting

This lesson was released as part of our 'news decoder' series. You can explore the full curriculum here.

Skills and knowledge

  • Speaking

    Step 4: Organising thoughts
    I order my points to be understood
    How did you show your classmates why you felt strongly about a particular option?

  • Creativity

    Step 9: flexible thinking
    I challenge my assumption about ideas
    What did you realise or change your mind about once you understood the full story?

  • Knowledge

    I know that press regulations are different around the world and can affect the safety of journalists.
    How much stricter or weaker press rules affect journalists in your country?

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