In this episode of The Battle for Free Speech, I tell the story of Pennsylvania Hall, built in 1838 as a "temple for free speech" where women & men, black & white, could speak together freely. It stood for 4 days before being burned to the ground by a white mob. therealnews.com/a-history-of...

Excellent new episode about Big Tech's commodification of free speech in The Battle for Free Speech podcast, including a few thoughts from me

The Media Merger that Should Really Scare Democrats The Murdochs are about to have massive influence on what millions of Americans watch.... with Fox's purchase of Roku for $22 billion. Important reporting. @danpfeiffer.bsky.social #BattleForFreeSpeech www.messageboxnews.com/p/the-media-...

In the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, FIFA ordered #Haiti to change its jersey because the small imagery of people raising the Haitian flag in the corner of the jersey was deemed "too political”. #FreeSpeech www.patreon.com/SovereignMed...

Trump and his allies are rolling out censorship in the name of free speech through the deployment of media mergers, social media, and AI.But they’re clamping down on your voice, not freeing it. This is Episode 3 of The Battle for Free Speech podcast @freespeechbattle.bsky.social

The biggest AI risk isn't rogue machines—it's "cognitive surrender,” writes Evan Liu. As part of a series of student essays produced in collaboration with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Liu argues AI tempts us to outsource the struggle of learning itself.

Israel asked Meta to #censor social media content about its ongoing war against Iran, according to internal documents. Israel petitioned Meta to take down posts expressing support for #Iran & opposition to Israel. Important reporting @sambiddle.com @theintercept.com theintercept.com/2026/06/18/i...

From fascism to AI, our world is breaking. Only rank-and-file workers can save it. A blockbuster panel with labor journalists @kimkelly.bsky.social @alexnpress.bsky.social @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social @maximillianalvarez.bsky.social @inthesetimes.com therealnews.com/from-fascism...

For Truthout: Some of my reflections on current movements on Juneteenth. truthout.org/articles/des...

I wrote about the astounding indictment of 15 people in Minnesota now charged with an alleged criminal conspiracy against ICE, and what federal prosecutors’ wild “who posted what on Signal when,” “who said what on the ‘Anarchist Speaking Tour’” claims are meant to do:

No surprise, the Trump administration is persisting in its acts of censorship in parks despite the latest court ruling. This is right in my backyard & an example I've used in public talks about how #censorship of research/knowledge makes its way into the "everyday" www.sfgate.com/national-par...

15 people in Minneapolis were indicted for “conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer.” The prosecutor couldn’t name a single instance in which they actually injured anyone, but insisted that didn’t matter.

What free speech looks like & how it's come under attack under Trump:

This deal just sets up a big surveillance play for the company to gather up our sensitive and personal data. Everything is about our data. Everything. We are the product.

Like Trump, Kash Patel keeps suing the press. “The goals here,” said @sonjawest.bsky.social, “appear to be to muddy the narrative, run up opponents’ legal bills & send a message to journalists that if you cover us critically, it’s going to cost you time & money.” www.nytimes.com/2026/06/14/b...

The Trump administration arrested Emmy-Award winning journalist Georgia Fort for covering an anti-ICE protest. Months later, she says the #censorship continues, as she can't speak w/ community leaders, because her court case is ongoing. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

The Pentagon press office has been designated as a SCIF (classified space) and journalists are now banned from entering it, reports WaPo's Scott Nover. wapo.st/4fZu2kW

"This is a nightmare scenario, & the nightmare is here." A must read from @maximillianalvarez.bsky.social @therealnews.com about the state of free speech & media in the United States, today. #freespeech #media @projectcensored.bsky.social therealnews.com/the-war-on-o...

Just when you thought our media landscape was already controlled by a few really big companies... Trump's Justice Department has approved Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros. @politico.com The merger is opposed by many in the entertainment industry who fear it could lead to mass layoffs.

Fighting censorship. Standing for autonomous libraries. “People need to be able to meet, share ideas, strategize, plan, learn from history, in conversation w/ elders,” a Chicago organizer said. “That can happen here.” Great article @edrabinski.bsky.social @truthout.org truthout.org/articles/as-...

She stood up against censorship. Lost her job over it. Then fought and won. More than two years after she was removed from her position as library system director in Campbell County, Wyoming, she has been awarded a $700,000 settlement in a lawsuit over her termination. www.cbc.ca/radio/asitha...

It's absurd to suggest opposing a merger orchestrated by the president and his billionaire buddies to stifle journalism and First Amendment activity is in any way inconsistent with defense of democracy. Rep. Comer knows that but chooses to waste time and money on ridiculous political stunts.

Google is downgrading links & promoting AI. That means users will see a summary generated by an AI bot developed by a corporate behemoth w/ close ties to Trump. Important reporting @neginowl.bsky.social @mayaschenwar.bsky.social @truthout.org @therealnews.com therealnews.com/googles-new-...

Trump's crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech continues: many protesters are still fighting deportation cases, & in some cases criminal charges. Palestinian graduate student Mohsen Mahdawi is the latest. Such important reporting @hurwitz.bsky.social @motherjones.com www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

"If you don't stop speaking right now, you're not graduating." Leen Hijaz was cut off from speaking at her high school graduation after she spoke out in defense of people suffering in Palestine, Sudan, Congo & Afghanistan & "families being torn apart by ICE." edition.cnn.com/2026/06/04/u...

A federal judge has barred the Trump admin from continuing to remove information about slavery, civil rights, climate change and other topics from national parks. Angel Kelley wrote the policy “sets a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization.” @washingtonpost.com @therealnews.com

We have launched our new #podcast! Our freedom of speech is under attack. In this immersive series, we look at the threats today, from Trump to Silicon Valley... and the fight back for #freespeech. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts. @therealnews.com therealnews.com/the-battle-f...