Tech Policy Press: Most Comments Deleted From Social Media Platforms in Germany, France, and Sweden Were Legal Speech — Why That Should Raise Concerns for Free Expression Online

Posted on by Jacob Mchangama in Digital Regulation, Global Free Speech, News, Online Content Moderation, Our Perspectives

By Jacob Mchangama  In the age of ubiquitous social media, the power to shape public discourse lies in the hands of a few digital giants. Yet, recent European regulations intended to curb “torrents of hate” online could be stifling free expression. As policymakers tout these measures as necessary for a safer internet, a critical question […]

Media Laws: Will the EMFA Improve Freedom of Expression, Media Pluralism, and Media Independence in Europe?

Posted on by Joan Barata in Global Free Speech, News, Our Perspectives, Press Freedom

By Joan Barata  1. Introduction The recent adoption of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA)[1] has been presented by European institutions as an important step forward in the effective protection of freedom of the media in the continent. The European Commission considers this Regulation as a culmination of some sort within a series of measures to […]

TechDirt: European Content Removal Laws Are Scrubbing The Internet Of Completely Legal Content

Posted on by The Future of Free Speech in Digital Regulation, Global Free Speech, In the news, News, Online Content Moderation

By Tim Cushing A lot of laws have been passed in Europe that regulate the content American companies can carry. Most of these laws were passed to tamp down on speech that would be otherwise legal in the United States, but not so much in Europe where free speech rights aren’t given the same sort of […]

Schweizer Monat: Big Tech as State Censorship Agent

Posted on by The Future of Free Speech in Digital Regulation, Global Free Speech, In the news, News, Online Content Moderation

By Lukas Leuzinger European countries are passing more and more laws to prevent “hate speech” on the Internet. The Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG), introduced in Germany in 2017, forces social media platforms to delete “obviously illegal” content within 24 hours; violations can result in fines of up to 50 million euros. In 2022, the EU passed the Digital […]

Slovakia: Cease attacks on journalists and satirists amid growing tensions

Posted on by Justin Hayes in News, News Desk

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. […]

Reason: Report: E.U. Censorship Laws Mostly Suppress Legal Speech

Posted on by Jacob Mchangama in Digital Regulation, Global Free Speech, In the news, News, Online Content Moderation

By J.D. Tuccille Among those who think the United States is an unseemly cesspool of unrestrained opinions voiced by those people, Europe is often touted as an alternative for speech regulation. European Union law, following in the footsteps of national legislation, imposes enforceable duties on private platforms to purge “hate speech” and “disinformation”—or else. But free speech […]

Tech Policy Press: Digital Services Act Roundup: April – May 2024

Posted on by Jordi Calvet-Bademunt in Digital Regulation, Global Free Speech, News, Our Perspectives

By Jordi Calvet-Bademunt Overview: In April and May, the European Commission opened three formal proceedings involving very large online platforms (VLOPs), two against Meta and one against TikTok. Also, starting in April, Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos began complying with the Digital Services Act’s (DSA) VLOP rules after being designated in December 2023. Moreover, Shein, an online […]

La Presse: Excess of Censored Messages, Limited Freedom of Expression

Posted on by Jacob Mchangama in Digital Regulation, Hate Speech, In the news, News, Online Content Moderation

By Marc Thibodeau (Rough English Translation) Pressure on social networks in Europe to restrict hateful content online is leading to the unnecessary removal of an alarming number of perfectly legal messages, denounces an American organization defending freedom of expression. In a new study, researchers from The Future of Free Speech point out that more than […]

Tech Policy Press: The Digital Services Act Meets the AI Act

Posted on by Jordi Calvet-Bademunt and Joan Barata in AI, Digital Regulation, Global Free Speech, News, Our Perspectives

By Jordi Calvet-Bademunt and Joan Barata This piece is part of a series that marks the first 100 days since the full implementation of Europe’s Digital Services Act. You can read more items in the series here. The adoption of the Digital Services Act (DSA) represented a major development within the context of the EU and beyond. Based […]

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

Posted on by Justin Hayes in Digital Regulation, Hate Speech, News, News Desk, Online Content Moderation

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 […]