Australia Plans to Strengthen Social Media Ban for Under-16s & Democratic Project 2029 Calls for Child Social Media Ban | The Free Flow 7/2/26
Australia plans to strengthen enforcement of its social media ban for under-16s, while the Democratic Project 2029 includes a proposal to ban social media for children in the U.S., and more.
This Week at a Glance 🔎
— 🇺🇸 Justice Department Issues, Withdraws Subpoenas Against Reporters
— 🇦🇺 Australia to Strengthen Enforcement of Social Media Ban for Under-16s
— 🇧🇪 Belgian Police Detain Journalists at US Embassy Event
— 🇺🇬 Ugandan Government Shuts Down Multiple Independent News Outlets
— 🇭🇰 Two Hong Kong Booksellers Arrested for “Seditious Publications”
First of All 🇺🇸
» Justice Department Issues, and Then Withdraws Subpoenas Against Reporters
The Justice Department issued and then withdrew subpoenas that sought to compel reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal to testify before a grand jury.
Details:
Reporters from The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post received grand jury subpoenas, which were later rescinded, though the reasons for the withdrawal are unclear.
The subpoenas are part of a larger crackdown by the Trump administration on media leaks.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that “reporters are not our targets,” but that “we’re not going to stop investigating people who work in this administration who think it’s OK to leak classified information.”
The subpoenas come after an April 2025 decision by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to revoke policy that protected journalists from having their phone records secretly seized during leak investigations.
The move gave prosecutors the power to use subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants to unmask sources who make “unauthorized disclosures” to journalists.
In January of this year, the Trump administration searched a Washington Post reporter’s home and seized her electronics as part of a leak investigation into a Pentagon contractor, as mentioned in a previous Free Flow.
» Maryland Student Journalists Sign Open Letter Against Prior Restraint Policy
Around 150 student journalists from high schools in Montgomery County, Maryland have signed an open letter questioning the legality of a policy from a leaked memo, that would require all student articles to receive administrative approval ahead of publication.
Details:
Previous guidelines allowed prior restraint only in narrow categories permitted by the New Voices state law (such as unlawful content).
Free speech organizations have come out in support of the students, including the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) and Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Jonathan Gaston-Falk, an SPLC attorney, argued that “A vague memo that confuses administrators, chills reporting, and muddies rights protected by established Maryland law cannot stand.”
After hearing students’ testimony, Montgomery County Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor said that while “students have a right to appeal decisions that are made… we do also have a responsibility and that responsibility we are going to follow as adults in compliance with the Maryland New Voices Act.”
» California Professor Wins Job Back After Firing for Pro-Palestine Activism
Sang Hea Kil, a tenured professor at San Jose State University, has won her job back after being fired last year for participating in pro-Palestinian campus protests.
Details:
An arbitrator reduced her termination to a one-month suspension and ordered the school to reinstate her with backpay.
She was terminated despite the recommendation of a faculty committee that reviewed the incident and advised against dismissal.
Kil filed a lawsuit against the state university system, alleging it had violated employment law and the First Amendment.
The Digital Age 🤖
» Australia to Strengthen Enforcement of Social Media Ban for Under-16s
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that the government is planning to strengthen laws barring under-16s from social media platforms.
Details:
The move is a response to evidence that the ban, which came into effect in December as mentioned in a previous Free Flow, has failed to keep under-16s off social media.
A British Medical Journal study found that 85% of a group of Australian 12 to 17-year-olds were using restricted platforms
Fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars on platforms that do not take reasonable steps to remove children’s accounts have also failed as a deterrent. .
Albanese told Parliament that the government is considering options to strengthen the ban’s enforcement, and that the government is asking whether “laws are as strong as possible” and whether eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has “every power at her disposal.”
» Democratic Project 2029 Calls for Child Social Media Ban & Online Safety Rules
The first proposal to be released by Democrats working on Project 2029, a policy plan ahead of the 2028 presidential election, calls for a ban on social media for kids under 16 and stronger privacy protections.
Details:
The proposal, “Kids Over Clicks,” calls for lawmakers to ban social media platforms for kids under 16 and implement safety measures at the system’s design level.
It also proposes updating Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to exempt AI firms from liability shields for their systems’ outputs.
Other recommendations include cellphone bans in schools and a campaign to discourage giving kids smartphones until the age of 14.
» Second Circuit Clears New York Online Hate Speech Law
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has concluded that a New York law requiring social media companies to deter hate speech does not violate the First Amendment because platforms aren’t required to adhere to the state’s definition of “hateful conduct.”
Details:
In its order certifying questions to the state court, the Second Circuit said that if companies can comply with the law without fully adopting the state’s definition of hateful conduct, the law survives constitutional scrutiny.
The law defines hateful conduct as content that is used to humiliate or incite violence against a group based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
It does not require platforms to explain or publicize their reporting mechanisms with reference to the law’s definition, just that the mechanism be clear and accessible to users.
Judge Anthony Cannataro said the statute requires that a company’s disclosure must include only how it will respond to reports of hateful content, rather than compelling networks to specifically address hateful content.
The decision will affect how the Second Circuit proceeds with a lawsuit brought by legal expert Eugene Volokh and video site Rumble Inc. against the state, challenging the law as unconstitutional.
» Federal Judge Blocks Nebraska Age-Verification Law
A federal judge has blocked Nebraska’s Parental Rights in Social Media Act, also known as LB 383, which would have required all users to undergo age verification for social media account creation and required minors to have parental consent to create an account.
Details:
In a case brought by NetChoice, a tech trade association, the judge partially granted an injunction to stop the law from going into effect in July.
Judge John Gerrard said the provisions likely violate the First Amendment rights of both the users and the platforms.
“On the whole, the law is not tailored to solve the identified problem,” Gerrard wrote. “LB 383 too broadly restricts minors’ ability to access and engage in protected speech, even where speech does not pose the identified risk of harm.”
Gerrard, however, allowed a provision requiring companies to create a dashboard for parents to access and monitor children’s posts, interactions, and private messages, to be enforced.
The Brussels Effect: Europe and Beyond 🇪🇺
» Czech Bill Targets Funding for Czech Television & Radio
A Czech bill that would allocate funding for Czech Television (CT) and Czech Radio (CRo) to the state budget, rather than through the current monthly license fee that households and businesses pay, has sparked concern among experts.
Details:
The change would reduce each outlet’s annual budget to its level before the previous government increased the license fee last year, cutting CT’s 2027 budget by about €41 million and CRo’s by €16 million.
The government argues that most EU states have moved away from the license fee model and the country is merely joining the majority.
Vaclav Stetka at the European New School of Digital Studies warned that the cuts represent an act of “cultural vandalism” and that “the political elite has never accepted the independence of public media.”
The International Press Institute said they had not seen proposals for legislative safeguards to protect the outlets from political influence over future funding decisions.
The legislation will take effect next year if approved by both houses of parliament and signed by the president.
» Belgian Police Remove Journalists from US Embassy Event
Brussels police removed two journalists after they tried to question U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White at an embassy event they were invited to
Details:
Video shows European Correspondent reporter Samuel Dempsey asking White a question before a member of the ambassador’s team cuts him off.
Dempsey and editor Julius Fintelmann said local police then surrounded them, questioned them about their outlet’s political agenda, and escorted them from the event—despite the U.S. embassy having officially invited them.
Brussels-Ixelles police confirmed their involvement in addressing an “active threat” on behalf of the embassy’s protocol unit.
When the European Correspondent later sought comment, White replied: “Both of you are losers.”
» Irish Regulator Adds to ‘Trusted Flaggers’ List
Ireland’s media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has granted three additional organizations “trusted flagger” status under the EU Digital Services Act, allowing them to notify online platforms of illegal content for takedown.
Details:
The added organizations include the Irish Internet Hotline, the Irish Music Rights Organization, and the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland.
Platforms must prioritize notices from trusted flaggers and decide on content takedown without undue delay.
The new accreditations will remain valid for three years, and can be reviewed or revoked after the period expires.
» Poland Passes Anti-SLAPP Legislation
On June 19, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a law against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
Details:
The law, titled the Act on Special Protection Measures in Civil Proceedings for Persons Participating in Public Debate, will provide safeguards to journalists and media outlets against vexatious lawsuits.
It includes early dismissal mechanisms for SLAPP lawsuits, detailed definitions to identify SLAPPs, the introduction of security deposits for claimants, and a reversal of the burden of proof on the claimant in such cases.
Defendants are not allowed to seek compensation within the same proceedings and must file a separate legal claim for damages.
» Hungary Passes Public Media Reform Law
Hungary’s new Tisza government seeks to restore independent public service broadcasting through a law amending the governance structures of public media and media regulatory bodies.
The Law:
The law establishes a new Press Fund to support community and minority media, as well as a multi-year funding model for public media.
The International Press Institute has urged the government to ensure the legislation is followed with further reforms that target transparency around state advertising, media ownership, and media concentration.
» ‘Citizen Vigilante’ Director Says Germany Banned Movie Over its Messages
Uwe Boll, the director of action thriller “Citizen Vigilante” starring Armie Hammer, said the film was banned in Germany for its extreme violence and alleged anti-migrant message.
Details:
The film begins with a mother being stabbed to death by migrant criminals in front of her sons, who then dedicates himself to delivering justice to criminals and corrupt officials who protect them. The character primarily targets migrants, though not exclusively.
Boll said the country’s ratings board declined to classify the film, leaving audiences to import Blu-ray copies from abroad in order to watch it.
He said he challenged the decision in court but lost, claiming authorities argued the film incited violence against migrants.
Since the ban, the film has been posted on X for 48 hours, attracting 5 million views, and has been shared by Elon Musk, garnering more than 10.5 million views.
The plot was inspired by a 2016 Hamburg case in which a group of teenagers walked free with suspended sentences after raping a 14-year-old girl and leaving her dead.
» Oxford University Reported for Alleged Free Speech Failures
Free speech advocates have reported Oxford to the Office for Students (OfS), England’s independent regulator of higher education, after the university canceled several lectures.
Details:
Associate Professor Michael Foran canceled his talks on “gender critical and gender identity belief” after protests interrupted opening events.
Faculty have said that the canceled lectures will be rescheduled for the next academic year.
Groups like the Alumni for Free Speech (AFFS) have criticized the response, arguing that the university should not have allowed protestors in the lecture space, per OfS guidelines.
AFFS believes that protestors should face discipline, the university should draft an apology, and that a free speech officer should be appointed.
Free Speech Recession 🌍
» Canada Passes Combating Hate Act
Canada’s Combating Hate Act, or Bill C-9, which strengthens prosecution of hate crimes while removing a long-standing protection for expressing religious beliefs, has received Royal Assent and is set to take effect July 18.
Details:
The law bans promotion of terrorism and hate symbols, which include Nazi signs and any flag or symbol of designated terror groups.
It also criminalizes intimidation or blocking access to places of worship and increases penalties for offenses motivated by hate.
Bill C-9 also removes a section of the Criminal Code that exempts persons who express an opinion on a religious subject or based on a religious text “in good faith.”
Our Take: In a guest post at The Bedrock Principle, Josh Dejaas, the Interim Litigation Director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, warned that “C-9 is just the latest in a series of laws restricting free expression that Canada’s Liberal government has passed or proposed. A worse one may be on the way”
» Turkey Bans Protests Ahead of NATO Summit
Turkish authorities have begun enforcing a blanket ban on all protests in Ankara, the capital, ahead of the NATO Summit on July 7 and 8.
Details:
On June 22, the Ankara governorate issued a statement announcing special security measures ahead of the Summit.
On June 25, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that 225 people had been linked to ISIS and leftist groups and detained under the measures.
135 of the arrested individuals were referred to court with requests for pre-trial detention.
Turkish authorities argue the ban and detentions are necessary to ensure public order and counter alleged terrorist threats ahead of the Summit.
» Hundreds Arrested in Kenya as Families of Deadly 2024 Protest Victims Demand Compensation 2 Years Later
Police in Kenya have detained hundreds of people and deployed tear gas, as families of those killed in 2024 anti-government protests marched to the Parliament building to demand transparency regarding their compensation.
Details:
In 2024, at least 60 people protesting tax increases were killed while police opened fire outside the Parliament building in Nairobi.
On June 15 of this year, families of the victims gathered to protest what they said was a lack of transparency regarding compensation that was promised by the government.
President William Ruto said their protest would be allowed, but warned against attempts to “shut down the country,” adding that the government would protect schoolchildren and workers.
Protesters barricaded Parliament and highways to Nairobi. Police arrested 335 individuals, with journalists and witnesses claiming that ordinary Kenyans were among those detained.
» Uganda Military Head Shuts Down Independent Media Stations
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and head of the country’s military, has announced that NTV Uganda and The Daily Monitor, both part of the Nation Media Group, will be shut down.
Details:
Kainerugaba announced the shutdown in a June 27 social media post on X, and added that “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution,” Kainerugaba added.
The Daily Monitor reported that armed soldiers were gathered outside its offices in the capital Kampala.
A senior NTV reporter said that the military shut down the station’s studios and offices, and those who were working in the building were ordered to leave.
The stations went off air the following day, and Kainerugaba said they will not reopen without his permission.
» Hong Kong Police Arrest Booksellers for Selling ‘Seditious’ Publications
Hong Kong police arrested two people on suspicion of selling seditious publications and receiving funds from foreign political organizations.
Details:
Police investigations reveal the pair are suspected of displaying seditious items and selling seditious publications, including materials that incite hatred against the city’s government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies.
They are also suspected of receiving funds from foreign political organizations, though the statement did not specify which foreign orgs were involved.
The bookstore was accused of “soft resistance” by a pro-Beijing newspaper last year, which highlighted the store’s plan to sell jailed pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai’s biography.
Police arrested the owner and staff of another bookstore in March for selling seditious publications, including Lai’s biography, as mentioned in a previous Free Flow. The sellers were later released on bail.
» Russian Opposition Politician Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison
Maxim Kruglov, a former lawmaker in Moscow’s city legislature and the deputy leader of Russia’s Yabloko party that opposes the Ukraine war, was convicted and sentenced to seven years in jail for “spreading lies about the Russian army.”
Details:
Kruglov was arrested in October on charges stemming from two Telegram posts concerning war-time casualty data and events in Bucha, where Russia alleges that Ukrainians staged a massacre.
He pleaded not guilty and rejected prosecutors’ claims that political hatred motivated his posts, arguing his career had been devoted to improving life in Russia.
Ashley Haek is a communications coordinator and research assistant at The Future of Free Speech.
Audrey Campbell is a communications intern at The Future of Free Speech and an international relations major at American University.
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