The Free Flow — April 10, 2025
Indian court mandates a Wikipedia takedown, U.S. to screen immigrants’ social media for antisemitism, EU prepares billion-dollar fine against X, and more.
The Digital Age
» Meta Fined in Turkey for Refusing to Comply With Gag Orders
Meta has been hit with a substantial fine by Turkish authorities for refusing to remove posts related to nationwide protests following the arrest of opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu.
Context:
Meta complied with 40% of the 5,677 takedown requests issued by Turkish authorities in 2023. Since then, censorship efforts have only escalated, with Turkish authorities ordering the suspension of social media accounts covering unrest.
Meta’s resistance stands in contrast to X, which has faced overwhelming criticism for complying with takedown orders, including suspending accounts belonging to journalists and critics.
X claims it is appealing a Turkish court order to block 126 accounts, but the case predates the current crackdown.
» New Jersey Criminalizes AI Deepfakes
On April 3, 2025, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law making it a crime to create or share deceptive AI-generated media, including deepfakes, used to commit crimes with penalties of up to 5 years in prison and grounds for civil lawsuits
Details:
The law broadly defines deepfakes as any image, video, or audio that would mislead a reasonable person into believing a person did or said something they did not.
With over 20 states now regulating AI-generated media and more laws expected during the 2026 election cycle, the U.S. is rapidly developing a patchwork of rules that could shape the future of digital speech, often without clear federal guidance.
» Indian Court Orders Wikipedia to Remove “Defamatory” Content
The Delhi High Court has ordered the Wikimedia Foundation to remove content from Wikipedia that is deemed defamatory by ANI, a prominent Indian news agency. Wikimedia — the owner of Wikipedia — is the latest platform to face judicial pressure over content moderation under India’s expanding digital crackdown.
Context:
ANI sued Wikimedia in 2024, alleging reputational harm from user-generated statements on its Wikipedia page that described the organization as a “propaganda tool” and “mouthpiece” for the ruling BJP government.
The Court ruled Wikipedia must take down the disputed content within 36 hours, and rejected Wikipedia’s argument that it should be allowed to defend the content on merit.
» UN Human Rights Council Backs Stronger Free Expression and Anti-Surveillance Protections
The 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council concluded in Geneva on April 4, 2025, with several key resolutions reinforcing free expression, digital rights, and protection for human rights defenders.
Key Developments:
Landmark Resolution on Human Rights Defenders and Emerging Technologies
Led by Norway, this resolution is the first at the UN to call on governments to refrain from biometric mass surveillance, recognizing its chilling effect on free expression.
Also calls for halting internet shutdowns, filtering, and throttling.
Addresses threats like spyware and SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation).
Resumed Consensus on Religious Freedom Resolutions
After a break in 2024, the Council unanimously adopted two parallel resolutions:
Resolution 16/18 (led by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) on combating religious intolerance.
A resolution (led by the European Union) on freedom of religion or belief.
Digital Rights Highlighted in Country-Specific Resolutions:
Iran: A renewed Fact-Finding Mission will now gather evidence for legal accountability, citing censorship, surveillance, and internet shutdowns as tools of state oppression.
Myanmar: An EU-led resolution urges the military junta to lift digital restrictions amid post-earthquake chaos, emphasizing the need for independent media and emergency communications.
Belarus: The resolution denounces the criminalization of dissent as “extremism,” backing the release of jailed human rights defenders and civil society members.
» U.S. to Screen Immigrants’ Social Media for ‘Antisemitism’
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will now scan the social media of green card applicants and other immigrants for “antisemitic content”
Context: The policy has taken effect immediately and follows a broader push by the Trump administration to link immigration vetting to online expression, including a recent requirement for applicants to disclose their social media accounts.
This marks a significant expansion of government surveillance of online speech as a condition for immigration, raising alarms about viewpoint discrimination.
» Copyright Lawsuits Against OpenAI and Microsoft Merged in a Major U.S. AI Case
A U.S. judicial panel has consolidated twelve copyright lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft into a single case in the Southern District of New York, marking a significant moment in the legal debate over AI training data with copyrighted works and fair use.
Details:
Plaintiffs include prominent authors like Ta-Nehisi Coates, Sarah Silverman, and Junot Diaz, as well as major publishers such as The New York Times.
The lawsuits allege the companies unlawfully used copyrighted materials to train AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot.
At stake is whether AI developers can rely on fair use to train models on publicly available text, a question that is being raised in the UK as well (more on this in The Brussels Effect below).
Protests in both the U.S. and U.K., including a demonstration at Meta’s London office, underscore growing tension between creative industries and tech companies.
» U. S. Copyright Office Reaffirms Human Authorship Requirement in AI Works
On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Copyright Office released Part 2 of its Report on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, clarifying that works generated solely by AI systems are not eligible for copyright protection.
The law only protects works of “human authorship,” a position consistent with past precedent but now formalized in response to the proliferation of Gen-AI tools.
The policy could shape how AI-generated works are licensed and shared, with implications for media, publishing, research, and open knowledge ecosystems.
» X to Enforce Stricter Rules on Parody Accounts
Starting April 10, Elon Musk’s X will require parody, fan, and commentary accounts to use clear labels like “fake” or “parody” at the beginning of account names and distinct profile images to prevent confusion or impersonation.
The move comes in response to growing complaints about misleading impersonation, particularly of Elon Musk himself, whose parody accounts frequently promote cryptocurrency scams or fake giveaways.
» Meta Whistleblower Alleges Platform Aided Chinese Censorship
Former Meta executive Sarah Wynn-Williams testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee that the company collaborated with the Chinese government to censor content and facilitate surveillance through its platforms.
Testimony: In her written remarks, Wynn-Williams alleged that Meta provided custom censorship tools to the Chinese Communist Party and removed a Chinese dissident’s account.
Meta dismissed the claims as “divorced from reality,” asserting it no longer operates in China and questioning the relevance of the accusation
If accurate, the allegations raise concerns about U.S. tech companies enabling foreign government censorship at the expense of dissidents and open discourse.
» Meta Launches Llama 4 Models That Can Articulate “Both Sides” of Contentious Issues
Meta has released Llama 4 Scout and Llama 4 Maverick, which the company claims is less likely to refuse to generate content about contentious issues while presenting “both sides” of such controversial topics.
Details:
Both models are built on a mixture-of-experts architecture and offer powerful capabilities in reasoning, coding, and multimodal comprehension. They precede a third, unreleased model, Llama 4 Behemoth.
Internal testing shows it is now comparable to X’s Grok in political neutrality and refuses to respond to politically sensitive prompts at a significantly lower rate.
To read more about how recent generative AI models are respecting free speech norms and access to information, check out this latest piece from Jacob Mchangama, Jordi Calvet-Bademunt, and Isabelle Anzabi.
» New Hampshire considers bill to criminalize AI-Generated Speech
The legislation targets AI tools that produce harmful content and includes a private right of action with statutory damages.
Tech trade association NetChoice testified against New Hampshire’s SB 263, warning the bill would criminalize otherwise lawful AI-generated content shared with minors.
The Brussels Effect
» EU Prepares Billion-Dollar Penalties Against X Under Digital Services Act
The European Union is poised to issue a major fine—potentially over $1 billion— against Elon Musk’s platform X for breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Details:
The charges stem from X’s failure to address illicit content, disinformation, and transparency obligations, including refusing to provide access to researchers and verify user authenticity.
The fine would be the first major enforcement of the DSA and could include mandated product changes.
Musk’s Response:
X has framed the potential fine as an “unprecedented act of political censorship” and Musk signaled his willingness to engage in “a very public battle” in the courts over speech and platform moderation.
This comes after Vice President J.D. Vance’s comments at the Munich Security Conference, in which he equated the DSA to “digital censorship.”
Context:
The investigation began in 2023, but was briefly delayed after Trump’s re-election.
It has resumed as the U.S.-EU trade tensions escalate over tariffs and Ukraine policy, underscoring the risks of cross-border speech governance as national leaders clash over values and control.
» EU Sets Course to Become ‘AI Continent’ with New Action Plan
The EU Commission unveiled its AI Continent Action Plan, a sweeping initiative to establish the EU as a global leader in artificial intelligence while aligning development with European values. The plan builds on the InvestAI initiative and aims to mobilize €200 billion in investment.
The Plan includes launching a Data Union Strategy and integrating an AI Act Service Desk for businesses alongside guidance and codes of practice to ease regulatory compliance.
Increased regulation could influence global moderation norms in AI, especially when it comes to the generation of controversial content.
Subscribe to receive .exe-pression, our monthly AI newsletter, for a more in-depth analysis later this month.
» OpenAI and Google Advocates for Broad Data Exception in UK Copyright Law
Open AI and Google have formally opposed the UK government’s latest proposal to regulate AI training data under a copyright opt-out system, advocating instead for a broad text and data mining (TDM) exception.
Details:
The government’s December 2024 proposal would allow AI developers to train on publicly available copyrighted material unless rights holders explicitly opt out.
Critics of the opt-out model argue that ambiguous or overly burdensome licensing schemes risk consolidating power among large platforms and limiting smaller developers’ ability to access training data.
A broad TDM exception supports the principle that access to information fuels innovation and knowledge creation.
Artist Response: Over 400 artists, including high-profile figures like Paul McCartney and Cate Blanchett, have signed an open letter opposing opt-out regimes, arguing they shift the burden of consent.
The UK’s decisions will likely influence the direction of copyright and AI policy across Europe and globally.
Protest Watch
Civil Rights Attorney Detained at U.S. Airport: Amir Makled, a Michigan-based civil rights attorney representing a pro-Palestinian student protester, was detained and interrogated by federal agents at Detroit Metro Airport upon returning from vacation with his family.
Makled says the agents tried to access his cell phone and asked about his clients,a move he refused, citing attorney-client privilege.
Agents reportedly invoked the Tactical Terrorism Response Team (TTRT) and questioned him for 90 minutes, reviewing his contact list before releasing him without seizing his phone.
The incident occurred days after President Trump’s memo instructing the DOJ to pursue sanctions against lawyers allegedly aiding in “meritless” immigration claims.
US Intensifies Crackdown on Protest Under Trump: Since Trump’s return to office, 41 anti-protest bills have been introduced across 22 states—most targeting pro-Palestinian and climate protests.
Five proposed federal laws would impose harsh penalties, including 20-year sentences and $500,000 fines, for protests deemed “disruptive” to critical infrastructure like gas pipelines.
Campus-focused bills threaten student protesters with loss of aid and criminal charges for masked demonstrations.
Lawsuits and civil penalties—including SLAPP-style litigation—are also on the rise. A recent North Dakota jury ordered Greenpeace to pay $667 million for its role in the 2016 Standing Rock protests.
Legal experts warn the vague language and sweeping scope pose a serious threat to First Amendment rights.
UK Anti-Abortion Activist Convicted, Draws Global Attention: Last week, we covered former UK Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption’s criticism of U.S. officials for interfering in British matters after they spoke out about Livia Tossici-Bolt's case.
Tossici-Bolt was charged for holding a sign outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth, which violated a local buffer zone law.
The sign read, “Here to talk, if you want.” She was convicted the next day for breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order, received a conditional discharge, and was ordered to pay £20,000.
The U.S. State Department’s human rights office condemned the ruling, calling it a punishment for peaceful expression.
Egypt Detains Ahmadi Minority Members, Threatens With Deportation: Egyptian authorities have arrested and forcibly disappeared at least four members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light between March 8 and 14, 2025.
Their detention appears solely linked to peaceful religious expression, including participation in a private Telegram group and a banner promoting an Ahmadi TV channel.
Authorities coerced detainee and Syrian asylum seeker Ahmed Al-Tanawi into signing deportation documents, threatening to withhold his heart medication unless his family purchased tickets to Syria.
His deportation was scheduled for April 7, while other Ahmadi members were forcibly disappeared after raids in Cairo and Sharqia.
Press Freedom
Editor Sentenced for Doctored Image of German Minister: David Bendels, editor-in-chief of the far-right Deutschland-Kurier, was sentenced to seven months in prison, suspended on probation, for defamation of a political figure.
The sentence stems from his manipulation of a photo of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser holding a sign that falsely read “I hate freedom of speech.”
The original image, released by the ministry during Holocaust remembrance events, featured Faeser holding a sign reading “We Remember.”
The Court found the act constituted deliberate defamation, but Bendels has announced plans to appeal, claiming the image was satirical.
Swedish Journalist Detained in Turkey Amid Civil Unrest: Swedish journalist Joakim Medin was among seven journalists detained by Turkish authorities on March 27, 2025, shortly after arriving in Istanbul to report on protests following the arrest of opposition figure Ekrem Imamoglu.
On March 30, Turkish officials announced Medin has been charged with “membership in an armed terrorist organization” and “insulting the President,” citing an investigation linked to a 223 Stockholm protest involving an effigy of Erdogan, although organizers of that protest deny Medin’s involvement.
The Dagens ETC writer and Swedish Union of Journalists member is now being held in Marmara Prison.
Judge Orders White House to Reinstate AP Access Over Naming Dispute: A federal judge ruled the Trump administration violated the First Amendment by banning Associated Press journalists from news events due to the outlet’s refusal to adopt the White House’s preferred term, “Gulf of America,” instead of “Gulf of Mexico.”
The AP acknowledged the government’s naming change in context but continued using the traditional term for clarity and consistency.
Since February, the AP was excluded from dozens of Oval Office events, pool coverage, and travel aboard Air Force One.
Trump officials admitted the ban was due to the naming dispute, labeling AP’s editorial stance as defiant and “biased.”
Indian Rationalist Arrested in Poland Following Interpol Notice: Sanal Edamaruku, a prominent Indian rationalist and president of Rationalist International, was detained based on an Interpol Red Notice issued by Indian authorities concerning blasphemy charges from 13 years ago.
In 2012, Edamaruku investigated claims of a miraculous water-dripping crucifix in Mumbai, concluding the phenomenon was due to a sewage leak, whichled to blasphemy accusations from the Catholic Church in India, prompting Edamaruku to seek self-imposed exile in Finland.
In 2021, Indian authorities issued a notice alleging he defrauded an individual by promising assistance with visas and employment in Finland.
In February 2025, the Helsinki District Court convicted Edamaruku of aggravated embezzlement related to the above allegations, sentencing him to a six-month suspended prison term.
Quick Hits
Naval Academy Purges Nearly 400 Books Under Trump’s Anti-DEI Order: The U.S. Naval Academy has removed nearly 400 books from its library following new directives from Defense Department leadership as it implements President Trump’s January 2025 executive order against DEI programs. The order threatens to withhold federal funds from schools promoting “gender ideology” or “discriminatory equity ideology.” While initially believed to apply only to K-12 schools, DOD leaders extended its application to military academies after press reports spotlighted noncompliance.
U.S. Government Threatens Harvard University’s Federal Funding: The U.S. Departments of Education, Health & Human Services, and the GSA sent a formal letter to Harvard University demanding structural reforms to maintain its eligibility for federal funds. Its key demands include: eliminating DEI programs accused of fueling antisemitism, merit-based hiring and admissions, a ban on protest masks, full cooperation with the DHS and other federal regulators, and governance reforms to install leadership capable of implementing federal directives.
Germany Considers Stripping Citizenship Over Political Views: A leaked CDU/CSU proposal would allow Germany to revoke citizenship from dual nationals deemed “supporters of terrorism, antisemites, or extremists.” The plan lacks clear legal definitions, raising alarms over arbitrary enforcement and political targeting, especially toward pro-Palestinian voices.
Colleges Alarmed as International Student Visas Quietly Revoked: Colleges across the U.S., including Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, UCLA, and Ohio State, report that international students have their legal residency status revoked with little to no notice, a shift from past U.S. immigration practice. While student visas can be revoked for various reasons, college officials say the current wave is occurring without transparency, and often without known infractions. Some revocations appear tied to pro-Palestinian activism while others cite minor offenses, like traffic violations.
DOJ Calls of U.S. Marshals Headed to Ex-Attorney’s House: Former Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer alleges the Department of Justice was prepared to send armed U.S. Marshals to her home late at night to hand-deliver a letter warning her against testifying about internal deliberations related to the restoration of actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights. Oyer claims she was fired for refusing pressure from Trump officials to support restoring Gibson’s rights following a domestic violence conviction. The letter, sent just before Oyer was due to testify at a public forum, urged her to “decline to respond to questions” about DOJ deliberations, citing executive privilege.
Myanmar’s Internet Blackout Obscures Quake Response: A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, but a clear picture of the devastation has been slow to emerge due to the country’s strict internet censorship. Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has imposed severe internet blackouts, blocked social media platforms, and seized control of telecommunications, leading to a digital isolation that hinders both reporting and emergency response. Aid delivery in Myanmar, contrasted with neighboring Thailand, where quake-related content flooded social media, highlights the human cost of digital repression.
California Abandons Key Social Media Disclosure Mandate After First Amendment Defeat: California has formally withdrawn enforcement of the most controversial elements of Assembly Bill 587, a social media transparency law that faced strong First Amendment challenges. The move comes after a February 2025 settlement between the state and X, in which the Ninth Circuit held the law likely violated the “unenumerated’” First Amendment right against compelled speech by requiring social media platforms to submit biannual reports disclosing how they define, moderate, and enforce policies on content like hate speech, misinformation, and extremism.
UK MPs Denied Entry to Israel Over Political Views: Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were denied entry to Israel during a planned visit to the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from UK officials and accusations of censorship. The MPs were part of a parliamentary delegation and had obtained prior clearance to enter, but were detained at the airport and returned to the UK the following day. The Israeli embassy claimed the pair “promoted sanctions against Israeli ministers” and accused them of making “false claims.”
TikToker Sentenced in Indonesia Over Joke About Jesus: Ratu Thalisa, a transgender Muslim social media influencer with nearly 450,000 TikTok followers, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison under Indonesia’s blasphemy laws for a video where she joked that Jesus should get a haircut. The court in North Sumatra also fined her around $6,200.
Legal Action Brought Against French Far-Right Party for Distributing Flyers Under France's Hate Speech Law: French anti-racism group SOS Racisme has filed a legal complaint against far-right fringe group Luminis Paris after it distributed graphic, xenophobic flyers near a National Rally event featuring Marine Le Pen. The flyers, handed out outside Sunday’s rally, featured a bloodied knife and phrases like French people, fight back,” calling for violent action against foreigners. One flyer read “French people, today the foreigners come into out arms to slit the throats of your sons and wives.”
Lautaro Martinez Blasphemy Plea Bargain Rekindles Free Speech Debate: Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez confirmed on April 7, 2025, a €5,000 plea bargain over alleged blasphemy during a February 16 match against Juventus. The incident, in which Martinez was caught on camera mouthing a prohibited phrase, triggered an official investigation and reignited debate over Italy’s controversial rule penalizing blasphemy in professional football.
Norwegian Club Wins Landmark Free Speech Ruling Against UEFA: Norwegian Club SK Brann has successfully overturned a UEFA fine at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), in a case hailed as a significant win for free expression in European football. UEFA fined the club €5,000 over supporters chanting “UEFA Mafia” and displaying banners with the same slogan during a Women’s Champions League Match.
India Quietly Censors Scene from White Lotus Over Religious Profanity: A scene from the new season of HBO’s The White Lotus was quietly censored for Indian audiences by streaming platform JioHotstar for a brief expletive directed at a religious figure during a character’s panicked prayer. The scene featured a character angrily shouting at a Buddha statue.
Telegram Accused of Removing Russian News Channel on State’s Request: Telegram is under scrutiny for allegedly removing a widely-followed Russian news channel, VChK-OGPU, at the request of Russian authorities. The anonymous channel, known for leaking insider law enforcement information, had over 1.1 million subscribers before its sudden takedown on April 7, 2025. Telegram denied direct involvement, stating the channel was “deleted by its owner, possibly due to unauthorized access,” and promised an investigation.
Censured Maine Lawmaker Challenges State Over Trans Athlete Post in Federal Court: Last Friday, Maine State Representative Laurel Libby challenged her legislative censure in federal court, arguing that the punishment infringes on her First Amendment rights. The censure followed a February social media post in which Libby identified a transgender high school athlete by name and photograph after they won a girls’ pole vault competition. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression argues that the censure was “retaliation based on constitutionally protected speech” since her post was directly related to state policy and “part of a nationwide debate.”
Trump Targets Top Defamation Firm with Sweeping Executive Order: Trump has signed an executive order punishing Susman Godfrey, the law firm that secured a $784.5 million settlement for Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation case against Fox News. The order restricts Susman attorneys from accessing federal buildings, revokes security clearances, and blocks the firm from representing clients with business before the federal government. The White House cited “election misconduct” and vague allegations to justify the move, although critics view it as a clear act of political retaliation.
In last week’s Free Flow, we cited other firms securing court orders to pause similar actions. Several large firms have reportedly made preemptive deals pledging hundreds of millions in pro bono work aligned with administration priorities.
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