Hacker News with Generative AI: Free Speech

Site-Blocking Legislation Is Back (eff.org)
More than a decade ago, Congress tried to pass SOPA and PIPA—two sweeping bills that would have allowed the government and copyright holders to quickly shut down entire websites based on allegations of piracy. The backlash was immediate and massive. Internet users, free speech advocates, and tech companies flooded lawmakers with protests, culminating in an “Internet Blackout” on January 18, 2012. Turns out, Americans don’t like government-run internet blacklists. The bills were ultimately shelved.
Internet Censorship, Legislation, Free Speech
5 points by wbread011 8 hours ago | 1 comments
Elon Musk makes request to Reddit CEO to take down posts he didn't like (mashable.com)
Elon Musk personally reached out to the CEO of Reddit to complain about content on the platform.
Elon Musk, Reddit, Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech
23 points by DocFeind 4 days ago | 1 comments
Musk threatens to sic the government on people 'pushing' Tesla 'propaganda' (theverge.com)
Self-styled free speech absolutist Elon Musk says he’s “going to go after” Tesla critics that he claims are inspiring acts of vandalism and arson against his company.
Elon Musk, Tesla, Free Speech, Censorship, Controversy
21 points by zfg 5 days ago | 1 comments
Section 230 Protects Users, Not Big Tech (eff.org)
Once again, several Senators appear poised to gut one of the most important laws protecting internet users - Section 230 (47 U.S.C. § 230).
Internet Law, Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech
52 points by DanAtC 9 days ago | 31 comments
Trump seeks social media profiles of all green cards applicants (independent.co.uk)
The Trump administration’s proposal to vet social media profiles of green card applicants already legally in the U.S. has been condemned in initial public feedback as an attack on free speech.
Immigration, Politics, Social Media, Free Speech
15 points by kallistisoft 10 days ago | 1 comments
Sen. Durbin's proposed legislation would stifle free speech online (suntimes.com)
The Sun-Times is free but the journalism is not. Reader support powers the news. Here's how you can help.
Politics, Legislation, Free Speech, Social Media
6 points by healsdata 11 days ago | 0 comments
Amazing: Mr Free Speech Zuckerberg wants to ban just one book, the one about him (theguardian.com)
I am as shocked as I am confused that Mark Zuckerberg is going all-out to block a memoir by Facebook’s former director of global public policy, Sarah Wynn-Williams. I thought information wanted to be free? I definitely heard that speech should be. We know Meta’s revolting oligarch doesn’t write his self-serving public pronouncements, but he should at least make time in his busy Magafication schedule to read them.
Meta, Censorship, Social Media, Free Speech, Book Ban
39 points by yabatopia 19 days ago | 5 comments
Yale Suspends Palestine Activist After AI Article Linked Her to Terrorism (gizmodo.com)
The dystopian future is here. Yale University has suspended a scholar in its law school after a Jewish news website that uses AI to produce articles called her a member of a terrorist group. It comes as the Trump administration has launched a relentless campaign to silence any speech sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.
Artificial Intelligence, Free Speech, Palestine, Universities
24 points by nickthegreek 21 days ago | 3 comments
X's globe-trotting defense of ads on Nazi posts violates TOS, Media Matters says (arstechnica.com)
X Corp.’s decision to file in multiple jurisdictions across the globe is intended to chill Media Matters’ reporting and drive up costs—both of which it has achieved—and it is directly foreclosed by X’s own Terms of Service,
Social Media, Lawsuits, Free Speech, Censorship, Media
15 points by rbanffy 21 days ago | 0 comments
The "Take It Down" Act (eff.org)
We've opposed the Take It Down Act because it could be easily manipulated to take down lawful content that powerful people simply don't like. Last night, President Trump demonstrated he has a similar view on the bill. He wants to sign the bill into law, then use it to remove content about — him. And he won't be the only powerful person to do so.
Politics, Censorship, Free Speech, Law, Legislation
152 points by panarky 28 days ago | 99 comments
Bezos says WP opinion page will focus on 'personal liberties' and 'free markets' (theguardian.com)
Amazon executive and newspaper owner says in letter that ‘viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others’
Amazon, Free Speech, Media, Politics, Journalism
18 points by cempaka 35 days ago | 6 comments
The FCC is a weapon in Trump's war on free speech (theverge.com)
Brendan Carr’s mission to trash the First Amendment.
Politics, Free Speech, Regulation, USA
16 points by leotravis10 47 days ago | 3 comments
Copyright Is a Civil Liberties Nightmare (eff.org)
If you’ve got lawyers and a copyright, the law gives you tremendous power to silence speech you don’t like.
Copyright, Civil Liberties, Law, Free Speech
9 points by hn_acker 59 days ago | 0 comments
Ask HN: Has anyone else noticed posts critical of Musk being flagged? (ycombinator.com)
Over the last several days I've seen several examples of completely comment-worthy, rational posts that have pointed out criticism of Elon Musk's conduct from other sources or criticized it themselves getting flagged very quickly.
Elon Musk, Censorship, Hacker News, Social Media, Free Speech
27 points by southernplaces7 64 days ago | 7 comments
Platforms systematically removed a user because he made "most wanted CEO" cards (eff.org)
On December 14, James Harr, the owner of an online store called ComradeWorkwear, announced on social media that he planned to sell a deck of “Most Wanted CEO” playing cards, satirizing the infamous “Most-wanted Iraqi playing cards” introduced by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency in 2003.
Free Speech, Censorship, Social Media, Business
122 points by mhitza 78 days ago | 193 comments
Free Our Feeds (freeourfeeds.com)
With Zuckerberg going full Musk last week, we can no longer let billionaires control our digital public square.
Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech, Digital Rights
31 points by cdme 79 days ago | 18 comments
Leaked Meta Rules: Users Are Free to Post "Mexican Immigrants Are Trash" (theintercept.com)
Meta is now granting its users new freedom to post a wide array of derogatory remarks about races, nationalities, ethnic groups, sexual orientations, and gender identities, training materials obtained by The Intercept reveal.
Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech, Discrimination, Ethics
27 points by jsheard 83 days ago | 5 comments
Calling women 'household objects' now permitted on Facebook (cnn.com)
Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech, Gender Issues, Facebook
29 points by SigmundurM 85 days ago | 33 comments
Meta Now Lets Users Say Gay and Trans People Have 'Mental Illness' (wired.com)
Meta announced a series of major updates to its content moderation policies today, including ending its fact-checking partnerships and “getting rid” of restrictions on speech about “topics like immigration, gender identity and gender” that the company describes as frequent subjects of political discourse and debate.
Social Media, Censorship, LGBTQ+ Rights, Free Speech
30 points by choult 85 days ago | 22 comments
Zuck: It's time to get back to our roots around free expression (instagram.com)
Social Media, Free Speech, Censorship
13 points by Dig1t 85 days ago | 1 comments
Mark Zuckerberg: Fact-checking on Meta is too "politically biased" (hollywoodreporter.com)
Meta Platforms Inc. is making major changes to its content moderation policies, eliminating its fact-checking program and bringing more political conversations back to feeds on Facebook and Instagram, as part of a bid by CEO Mark Zuckerberg to “restore free expression” on its platforms.
Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech, Politics, Meta
70 points by mpweiher 86 days ago | 105 comments
Pressure mounts on EU to use legal weapons against Musk's interference (politico.eu)
Elon Musk’s decision to host German far-right leader Alice Weidel in a livestream on X is sparking fury from European Union leaders and lawmakers, who on Monday urged Brussels to deploy its full legal might to rein in the billionaire tech magnate.
EU, Politics, Social Media, Free Speech, Technology
4 points by isaacfrond 86 days ago | 0 comments
I'm quitting the Washington Post (anntelnaes.substack.com)
I’ve worked for the Washington Post since 2008 as an editorial cartoonist. I have had editorial feedback and productive conversations—and some differences—about cartoons I have submitted for publication, but in all that time I’ve never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now.
Journalism, Editorial Cartooning, Washington Post, Free Speech
288 points by danso 89 days ago | 198 comments
Elon Musk and the right's war on Wikipedia (citationneeded.news)
The world's richest man has joined a growing chorus of right-wing voices attacking Wikipedia as part of an intensifying campaign against free and open access information.
Elon Musk, Wikipedia, Right-Wing Politics, Free Speech, Censorship
12 points by latexr 90 days ago | 9 comments
The huge stakes for free speech in a new Supreme Court case about porn (vox.com)
Texas asks the justices to abandon longstanding First Amendment protections for sexual speech.
Free Speech, Supreme Court, Pornography, Law, First Amendment
31 points by thunderbong 90 days ago | 8 comments
'Free Speech Absolutist' Elon Musk Suspends Critics, Asks People to Be Nicer (techdirt.com)
The inevitable has happened and Elon has started banning and suppressing the speech of folks who were “on his team,” leading to many suddenly realizing that maybe he wasn’t such a free speech supporter after all.
Free Speech, Social Media, Elon Musk, Censorship
68 points by jarsin 93 days ago | 0 comments
Is Musk targeting free speech on X? Loomer and more question loss of blue ticks (msn.com)
Free Speech, Social Media, Twitter, Censorship, Elon Musk
22 points by _djo_ 97 days ago | 3 comments
Elon Musk Takes Aim at Wikipedia (newsweek.com)
Elon Musk has urged his followers not to donate to Wikipedia, which he branded "Wokepedia," until "they restore balance to their editing authority."
Elon Musk, Wikipedia, Social Media, Free Speech
19 points by Teever 97 days ago | 6 comments
Bluesky Has a Death Threat Problem (thefp.com)
Recently, like a lot of journalists, I joined Bluesky, a social media platform that is enjoying a burst of postelection growth and positive press attention. It’s been lauded as a “kinder, gentler”—and, perhaps most importantly, more left-wing—alternative to X, which is increasingly seen as infested with what a Bluesky user might call “MAGA chuds.”
Social Media, Censorship, Free Speech, Political Polarization
15 points by xqcgrek2 105 days ago | 10 comments
Substack Is at It Again (kottke.org)
Marisa Kabas correctly asserts that Substack’s latest announcement reaffirms their status as a publication (and not a platform) and as a place that will publish disinformation and hate under the guise of “free speech”.
Substack, Free Speech, Journalism, Disinformation
5 points by Tomte 105 days ago | 2 comments