Whatever exceptions are foreseen by laws governing immunity of the press, it is advisable in each situation to weigh up the public's right to know against other interests worthy of protection. The evaluation should take place, if possible, before and not after commitment is given to respect the confidentiality of the information source. In certain extreme cases, the journalist can feel released from his or her commitment to confidentiality: notably when he or she learns that particularly serious crimes may be implicated or the existence, for example, of a threat to internal or external state security.