Op-eds etc.
A new EU plan targeting extremists ignores history’s lessons about the danger of restricting unpopular views. Shortly before Christmas, the European Commission—the EU’s executive arm—announced a plan with dangerous implications for free speech in Europe. Citing a “tsunami of hate and xenophobia” targeting ethnic and religious minorities, LGBT+ people, the disabled and women, the commission […]
In 1922, the USSR established the General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press (known as Glavlit) to weed out “propaganda against the Soviet Union” that “stirred up public opinion through false information”. The mission of Glavlit reflected Lenin’s view that the press was “no less dangerous than bombs and machine-guns” and that its […]
Liberal democracies are passing online speech laws. They’re inspiring autocrats. Nothing more sharply differentiates liberal democracies from authoritarian regimes than the former’s commitment to freedom of expression. Despite controlling vast bureaucracies with near-infinite resources and overwhelming coercive powers, democratic governments generally accept that their actions are scrutinized, criticized, and ridiculed by the media, opposition, and ordinary citizens. […]
This short piece has been inspired by the case of Sanchez v France which was decided by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) this year and which I argue, hereinafter, is yet another worrying development in the framework of freedom of expression. This case involved the criminal conviction of the applicant for inciting hatred […]
At 6 a.m. on September 8, the German Twitter user @pauli_zoo was awoken by six police officers demanding access to his home. They were there to gather evidence for a criminal investigation. What potential crime prompted this? Calling the interior and sports minister for the city of Hamburg “a dick” on Twitter. This is hardly the first […]
How is expertise being redefined in the modern era? a16z posed that question to 20+ experts. The line-up includes those that society might traditionally categorize as such — academics, scientists, researchers — as well as authorities in their own domains: a sci-fi novelist, an award-winning illustrator, gamers, prominent and emerging newsletter writers, and startup builders. Here is our […]
بعد مرور عقد على الربيع العربي، لا يزال العالم العربي يناضل ليتوافق مع أعراف الديمقراطية، وحرياتها. يُظهر استطلاع عالمي جديد، يشمل لبنان ومصر وتونس، مدى التناقضات في المواقف تجاه حرية التعبير، مسلطاً الضوء على تجربة الانتقال إلى الديمقراطية، التي تكون، عادةً، تجربة مؤلمة. وفقًا لاستطلاعٍ بعنوان «من يهتم بحرية التعبير»، الذي أُجري بتكليف من مركز […]
Dr. Natalie Alkiviadou is a Senior Research Fellow at Justitia (Denmark) working on the Future of Free Speech Project Four point two billion people are active social media users. This has given voice to previously marginalized groups. At the same time, however, extremism, hatred and abuse have become part and parcel of this reality. This has led to enhanced pressure on […]
Executive Director Jacob Mchangamas op-ed in French Slate. Read it here.
Read our op-ed in venezuealian El Pitazo. English tranlation: Is Venezuela the most pro free speech country in the world? From looking at international rankings of political freedom and press freedom, one would not think so. The country is ranked “Not Free” by the organization Freedom House (an abysmal 14 points out of 100), and […]