The Free Flow — July 17, 2025
Turkey bans Grok for insulting politicians, France launches criminal investigation into X, Romania's president delays antisemitism bill, India censors 'Superman' scenes, and more.
This Week At A Glance 🔎
— 🇹🇷 Turkey bans AI chatbot Grok for insulting politicians
— 🇫🇷 France launches criminal investigation into X
— 🇷🇴 Romania’s president delays anti-semitism bill over vagueness
— 🇮🇶 Iraqi authorities detain activist over water crisis criticism
— 🇮🇳 India censors ‘Superman’ scenes
First of All 🇺🇲
» Senate Advances Trump’s Rescission Package with Cuts to Public Media
Senate Republicans passed a $9 billion spending cuts package requested by President Trump early Thursday morning, which cancels previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS, as well as foreign aid programs.
Details:
With a vote of 51 to 48, the bill narrowly passed. Only two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, sided with Democrats in opposition.
The Trump administration and GOP have previously accused both NPR and PBS of bias.
NPR and PBS have sued the Trump administration over an executive order to cut funding, arguing that the outlets were targeted for their viewpoints and reporting.
» Trump Threatens to Revoke Comedian’s Citizenship
On June 12, President Trump stated that he was “giving serious consideration” to revoking the U.S. citizenship of comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who currently lives in Ireland.
Details:
On Truth Social, Trump wrote O’Donnell was “a threat to humanity” and should remain in Ireland because she is “not in the best interests of our Great Country.”
O’Donnell has been openly critical of the Trump administration, most recently over the federal response to the Texas floods.
The Digital Age 🤖
» Turkey Bans AI Chatbot Grok After it Insulted Political and Religious Figures
Turkey has become the first nation to impose a nationwide ban on Grok AI after it generated offensive content deemed offensive toward President Erdoğan, national hero Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and religious figures.
Details:
On July 9, a Turkish court ordered internet service providers to block Grok, citing 50 AI-generated posts deemed derogatory or vulgar.
Under Turkish law, public insults against state figures and religious authorities are prohibited and can result in prison sentences of up to four years.
The ban follows Poland's call for a European Commission investigation into Grok, as reported in a previous Free Flow.
» DOJ Backs Legal Challenge Over Suppression of COVID-Era Dissent
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in Children’s Health Defense et al. v. Washington Post et al., alleging news outlets and digital platforms colluded to suppress independent COVID-19 perspectives that contradicted mainstream media.
Details: The plaintiffs argue that The Washington Post, BBC, Reuters, AP, and tech platforms violated antitrust law to deplatform opposing viewpoints on COVID-19.
» Russia and Belarus Unveil Censored ‘Patriotic AI’ To Rival the West
Moscow and Minsk have launched a joint artificial intelligence project called “the patriotic chatbot” to address Western “manipulation” and uphold “traditional values.”
Details: Sergey Glazyev, secretary of the supranational Union State of Russia and Belarus, accused American-based AI platforms of promoting “racist and extremist” views, which they seek to shield younger generations from.
» France Launches Criminal Probe Into X Over Algorithms
The Paris prosecutor’s office announced on July 11 that it has enlisted police to investigate Elon Musk and his social media platform X, on allegations that the company manipulated its algorithms for the purpose of “foreign interference.”
Details:
The investigation deepens a January probe over X’s algorithm, which was accused of spreading “hateful political content” to skew democratic debates in France.
The escalated January probe is part of a broader two-year investigation over the platform’s spread of “misinformation,” which authorities argue violates the Digital Services Act.
X executives could now potentially face police searches, wiretaps, surveillance, summons to testify, and even international arrest warrants.
» Massachusetts Social Media Bill Seeks to Outlaw ‘Addictive’ Algorithms for Teens
A proposed Massachusetts bill targeting “addictive” social media feeds would remove any content recommended by an algorithm from teens’ social media, only showing content from accounts they subscribe to or search for.
About the Bill:
Platforms would also be prohibited from sending notifications to minors between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. under the proposed bill.
An undefined "commercially reasonable" standard for age verification could jeopardize sensitive user data and disproportionately affect small businesses.
In prepared testimony, the tech trade group CCIA argues that the bill raises “serious legal and privacy concerns” and could “force users to give up their anonymity online.”
» Rumble and Truth Social Escalate Legal Fight Against Brazilian Supreme Court Order to Block U.S Political Commentators
Rumble Inc. and Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) filed an amended lawsuit in U.S. federal court against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for an order compelling them to censor a U.S.-based political commentator.
Details:
The complaint alleges that Justice de Moraes attempted to enforce Brazilian censorship rules on U.S.-based platforms and users, despite the speech in question taking place entirely in the United States.
The July 11 order at the center of the case compels Rumble to block a U.S.-based political commentator—identified as “Political Dissident B”—or face daily fines of approximately $20,000.
Rumble has been blocked in Brazil since February 2025 for its alleged noncompliance with earlier court orders from Moraes.
» India’s Supreme Court Denies Protection to Cartoonist in Free Speech Case
The Supreme Court of India has denied interim protection for political cartoonist Hemant Malviya, who faces criminal charges over a 2021 satirical cartoon that recently resurfaced in a Facebook post.
Details:
The cartoon depicted Prime Minister Modi administering a COVID-19 vaccine into the buttocks of a member of a Hindu nationalist volunteer organization.
Another user posted the cartoon alongside criticism of the government’s decision to conduct a caste census, which Malviya shared, prompting charges of “promoting enmity” and “publishing sexually explicit content online.”
Malviya’s counsel requested interim protection from arrest as the case proceeds, but it was denied despite the cartoonist agreeing to remove his cartoons.
The Brussels Effect: Europe and Beyond 🇪🇺
» Romania’s President Delays Antisemitism Bill Over Free Speech Concerns
Romanian President Nicușor Dan has delayed a new law that would introduce prison sentences for social media content promoting antisemitism and xenophobia, including the glorification of the Iron Guard Legionnaires, allies of Nazi Germany during World War II.
Details:
President Dan referred the legislation for judicial review after it was passed and stated that the law does not clearly define who is a fascist or a Legionnaire, “leaving room for arbitrariness in the activity of judicial bodies.”
Maxmillian Katz, head of Romania’s Center for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, said, “The President’s Office has pushed Romanian Jews into a highly stressful situation,” echoing criticism from other advocates against antisemitism.
» EU Countries to Test Age-Verification App
The European Commission announced that France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece will test a pilot age-verification app developed using the same features as the European Digital Identity Wallet, set to roll out next year.
Details: The model comes as part of the Digital Service Act’s effort to protect minors on social media, which EU regulators said will help platforms tackle addictive design, cyberbullying, harmful content, and unwanted contact from strangers.
Press Freedom Watch 🗞️
Kremlin Spokesperson Confirms ‘Military Censorship’ in Russia: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted in an interview with Russian state-aligned Expert magazine that Russia is “in a period of military censorship.” While he defended Russia’s censorship as “justified,” he acknowledged that publications have shut down and journalists have moved away.
Buffalo Newspaper Guild Cancels Event Amid Backlash Over Cartoon: The Buffalo Newspaper Guild canceled an event that would honor cartoonist Adam Zyglis after he received death threats over a satirical cartoon published in the Buffalo News. The cartoon showed a Trump supporter being swept away in Texas floods.
Florida Attorney General Defends Conservative Commentator’s Speech: While interviewing individuals about controversial politics at a farmers market for Liberty Hangout TV, conservative media personality Kaitlin Bennett was asked to move to the sidewalk by the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority. LLDA Executive Director Julie Townsend stated that Bennett was confronted due to obstruction of pedestrian traffic, not her speech. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier criticized the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority for its handling of a confrontation.
Protest Watch ✊
Iraqi Activist Arrested After Criticizing Water Crisis: After posting a video criticizing the Basra water crisis and the oil minister, civil activist Alaa Al-Bukhateri was detained by a SWAT unit during a raid in his family home without a warrant.
Leaked Audio Links Hasina to Deadly Protest Crackdown in Bangladesh: A leaked phone call analyzed by BBC reveals former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, authorized a violent crackdown on student protests in 2024. Hasina is heard telling security to “use lethal weapons” and “shoot” protestors.
Kent Police Threaten Protester Over Palestinian Flag: Newly released video footage shows officers in Canterbury threatening to arrest demonstrator Laura Murton for displaying a Palestinian flag and signs saying “Free Gaza” and “Israel is committing genocide,” alleging support for the recently banned group Palestine Action. An officer said, “Mentioning freedom of Gaza, Israel, genocide, all of that all come under proscribed groups, which are terror groups…” in Mutron’s video.
Quick Hits 💨
Case Filed Against Right-Wing Group Member For Hate Speech in India: Bhupesh Joshi, state convener of a right-wing organization, allegedly targeted a minority community at an event by urging locals not to rent properties to Muslims, citing a murder case involving two Muslims. Police have filed a case against Joshi after coming across a video of his remarks on social media.
German Court Rules Ban on Palestinian Doctor’s Speech Was Unlawful: German authorities banned a British-Palestinian surgeon from entering the country to participate in a pro-Palestinian event in Berlin, alleging he sympathized with Hamas and might commit a criminal offence during the event. Recently, a German court ruled the ban was illegal.
French Court Throws Out Brigitte Macron Defamation Case: A French court has overturned defamation convictions over statements made in a YouTube video claiming that First Lady Brigitte Macron is a man, ruling that the allegations were protected under the principle of “good faith” speech.
Trump Threatens Tariffs Partially Over Censorship of Bolsonaro: President Trump threatened a 50% tariff on Brazil for the country’s alleged censorship of social media platforms and mistreatment of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Trump also suggested imposing a 10% tariff on all members of the BRICS, including Brazil, after they condemned U.S military actions and criticized protectionist trade policies at a summit.
India Censors Superman Kissing Scenes: India’s film board cut two kissing scenes from James Gunn’s Superman to secure a UA 13+ rating. The board claimed that the 33-second kiss scene was “overly sensual” and prompted criticism from actors and fans over the country’s inconsistent and conservative censorship standards.
Russian Court Sentences Exiled Novelist Boris Akunin for Supporting Soldiers Defecting and Calling for Revolution: Exiled novelist Boris Akunin was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison by a Moscow court for “justifying terrorism” and failing to label his posts as authored by a “foreign agent.” The charges stem from statements supporting the defection of Russian soldiers and calls for revolution. Akunin, a member of Russia’s extremist list, rejected the legitimacy of the trial.
U.S. Navy Spouse Sues Base Officials Over Facebook Ban: Sergio Rodriguez, a Navy spouse and Army veteran, is suing officials at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, claiming he was banned from their official government Facebook page after posting questions about whether the base had relocation or reimbursement options for those affected by a power outage. Shortly after raising concerns, Rodriguez alleges that all of his previous comments were deleted, and he was banned from the page without explanation, despite having posted on it for four years.
Missouri Strengthens Student Association Rights on Campus: Governor Mike Kehoe signed SB 160 into law, which protects student groups at public colleges from being penalized for belief-based membership or leadership criteria. The law, backed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, addresses viewpoint discrimination tied to “all-comers” policies and reinforces First Amendment rights for campus organizations.
ACLU-PA Sues Upper Pottsgrove Over Retaliatory SLAPP Lawsuit: The ACLU of Pennsylvania is seeking attorney fees on behalf of a resident who was sued by the township after using public records to oppose a development project. This litigation was later dismissed by a judge as meritless and unconstitutional.
Ava Sjursen is a communications intern at The Future of Free Speech and a student at Boston College studying communications and political science.
Ashley Haek is a communications coordinator and research assistant at The Future of Free Speech.