Amicus Brief: FIRE, The Future of Free Speech Join Coalition Urging Supreme Court to Overturn TikTok Ban

NASHVILLE, Tenn. December 27, 2024 — Today, The Future of Free Speech joined the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Institute for Justice, Reason Foundation, and several other civil liberties organizations in an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in urging the Supreme Court to overturn the law banning TikTok. The brief argues that […]

Joint Statement: Civil Society Demands Action ahead of Internet Governance Forum

  We, the undersigned human rights organizations, urge the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to release people imprisoned for their online expression and foster transparency and accountability ahead of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2024 hosted in Riyadh between December 15 and 19. Over two months ago, on September 6, 2024, more than 40 civil society organizations called on […]

2024 Year in Review

As 2024 comes to a close, The Future of Free Speech team wants to thank you for your unwavering support. Together, we’ve achieved incredible milestones this year. Here’s a look at what you helped make possible.  The Global Free Speech Summit This year, we were thrilled to host the inaugural Global Free Speech Summit at […]

The Future of Free Speech Joins The Global Network Initiative (GNI)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASHVILLE, Tenn. October 31, 2024 — Today, The Future of Free Speech is excited to announce its membership in the Global Network Initiative (GNI), joining an influential community of organizations dedicated to advancing free expression and privacy in the digital space. The Global Network Initiative sets a global standard for responsible company […]

Open Letter to EU Commissioner Thierry Breton Raises Alarm Over DSA’s Threats to Free Speech

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASHVILLE, Tenn. August 21, 2024 — Today, The Future of Free Speech, TechFreedom, Institute H21, and 15 other signatories issued an open letter to Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, raising serious concerns about the potential misuse of the Digital Services Act (DSA) to curtail freedom of expression in the […]

Sir Salman Rushdie and Masih Alinejad Join Inaugural Global Free Speech Summit As Keynote Speakers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASHVILLE, Tenn. August 20, 2024 — The Future of Free Speech is thrilled to announce Sir Salman Rushdie and Masih Alinejad—two of the world’s leading advocates for freedom of expression—for our inaugural Global Free Speech Summit this fall, hosted by The Future of Free Speech and Dialogue Vanderbilt. Sir Salman Rushdie will have […]

The Future of Free Speech Responds to Supreme Court Ruling on NetChoice Cases

Nashville, Tenn., July 1, 2024 — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decisions in Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton. The Future of Free Speech, a nonpartisan think tank located at Vanderbilt University, has issued the following statement, attributable to Senior Fellow Jeff Kosseff: “A majority of the Supreme Court signed on to the […]

Slovakia: Cease attacks on journalists and satirists amid growing tensions

We, the undersigned organisations, extend our solidarity to independent media and the satirical site Zomri in Slovakia, which are facing an increasing crackdown in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico. We urge government representatives and politicians to cease these attacks and instead rise to the challenge of calming societal tensions. […]

Report: “Staggering Percentage” of Legal Content Removed from Social Platforms in France, Germany and Sweden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASHVILLE, Tenn. May 28, 2024 —Digital regulations in France, Germany and Sweden could be stifling free expression on social media platforms, according to a new report by The Future of Free Speech at Vanderbilt University. The report, titled “Preventing ‘Torrents of Hate’ or Stifling Free Expression Online? An Assessment of Social Media […]

The Future of Free Speech Advises Meta to Uphold Freedom of Expression Principles in Moderation Decisions of Pro-Palestinian Content

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NASHVILLE, Tenn. May 20, 2024 —The Future of Free Speech, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to restoring a resilient global culture of free speech, announced its submission of a public comment to Meta’s Oversight Board regarding the moderation of the phrase “From the River to the Sea” on its platforms. The comment […]