The Free Flow — June 19, 2025
Elon Musk's X sues New York over hate speech disclosure law, Ireland advances hate speech legislation, China's draft cybersecurity amendment intensifies digital repression, and more.
This Week At A Glance 🔎
—🇺🇸 Musk’s X sues New York over hate speech disclosure law.
—🇮🇪 Ireland advances hate speech legislation in LGBTIQ+ Action Plan.
—🇮🇳 Indian state of Assam arrests climb to 92 over “anti-India” social media posts.
—🇨🇳 China’s draft cybersecurity law amendment intensifies digital repression.
—🇸🇦 Saudi journalist executed after being arrested for online criticism of the royal. government
—🇮🇷 Iran restricts internet access.
First of All 🇺🇸
» Court Extends Block on Trump’s Harvard Foreign Student Ban
A federal judge extended an emergency court order blocking a Trump administration executive order that bars international students from enrolling at Harvard University.
Details:
The order remains in effect through June 23, pending the court's consideration of a longer injunction.
Harvard alleges the ban is retaliatory and infringes on its First Amendment rights, and has already sued over the administration's steps to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status and freeze $2.5 billion in federal funding, as reported in past Free Flows.
» Journalist Detained by ICE After Covering Immigration Protest
Mario Guevara, a Salvadoran-American journalist known for documenting immigration enforcement in Georgia, was arrested while covering a “No Kings” protest on June 15 and subsequently taken into ICE custody.
Details:
Guevara was livestreaming the protest northeast of Atlanta when officers arrested him.
Despite identifying himself as press, he was charged with obstruction, improper roadway entry, and later, unlawful assembly.
Footage from the event shows Guevara complying with police directives.
Witnesses say he was targeted despite other reporters being nearby and was not committing any obvious violations.
Guevara, who previously fled threats in El Salvador and sought asylum in the U.S., has lived in Georgia since 2004.
He built a significant following reporting on immigration issues and had a work permit at the time of his arrest.
» Judge Allows Continued Detention of Mahmoud Khalil
Despite a judge’s order blocking the deportation of former Columbia student and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, the same judge ruled that the Trump administration may continue with Khalil’s detainment.
Details:
As reported in a previous Free Flow, Khalil was arrested in March during protests over the Gaza war, without criminal charges.
Last week, we detailed U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz’s order to release Khalil on the grounds that it was “likely unconstitutional.”
The government filed a letter stating a secondary rationale for Khalil’s deportation, which alleges he lied on his green card application, warrants his continued detainment.
Farbiarz ruled Khalil’s legal team had not presented enough evidence that his detention was unlawful.
The Digital Age 🤖
» New Report Assesses Global Crackdown on Anti-Censorship Tools and Encryption
A new report from Freedom House and the European University Institute warns that governments in at least 21 countries have blocked VPNs and other anti-censorship tools over the past five years, and 17 have restricted end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) services.
Key Trends:
Authoritarian governments have criminalized VPN usage, pressured app stores to delist anti-censorship tools, and enacted strict legal frameworks.
E2EE has faced both outright bans and more subtle regulatory efforts in both repressive states and some democracies.
» Chinese Firms Launch AI-Powered Surveillance Tools that Target Telegram, VPNs
At China’s 12th International Exhibition on Police Equipment, state-affiliated research institutes and private firms showcased new technologies designed to bolster domestic surveillance, targeting encrypted messaging and VPN usage.
Details:
The Third Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security highlighted tools capable of monitoring Telegram accounts registered with Chinese phone numbers, collecting over 30 billion messages from 70 million accounts.
New tools reportedly allow scanning shopping and search histories, detecting VPN use, interrogation software, and real-time psychological profiling of suspects.
» Indian State of Assam Arrests 92 Over Online Posts After Pahalgam Attack
Police in the Indian state of Assam have arrested 92 individuals since April 2025 for allegedly making “anti-Hindu” or “anti-India” posts on social media following the Pahalgam attack, with the state government framing the crackdown as a fight against “traitors.”
Details:
The latest arrests include Sabikul Islam, accused of making a communally sensitive post, and Dulal Bora, for derogatory remarks about Hindu deities.
Authorities have invoked sedition and the National Security Act against some individuals for allegedly pro-Pakistan speech.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly celebrated the arrests on social media, stating that “nobody will be spared” in the state’s campaign.
» Modi Refuses Chief Advisor’s Request to Block Former Indian Prime Minister’s Online Speeches
Indian Prime Minister Modi refused a request from Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus to restrict Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s communications after she sought refuge in India, arguing that social media can’t be controlled.
Context:
At a Chatham House event in London on June 12, Yunus expressed concerns over alleged fake news fueling unrest in Bangladesh.
Modi rejected his request to limit Hasina’s communications, stating, “It is social media, we can’t control it,” although Modi’s government has been accused of taking down social media content on X without following proper procedures, as previously reported in the Free Flow.
» Google Sues LATAM Airlines Over YouTube Censorship
Google filed a lawsuit in California federal court against Chile-based LATAM Airlines, aiming to prevent a Brazilian court from compelling the global removal of a YouTube video posted by a U.S. citizen alleging child sexual abuse by an airline.
Details:
The video, uploaded in 2018 by Florida resident Raymond Moreira, features his son describing the alleged abuse. Moreira later reached a confidential settlement with LATAM in a Florida lawsuit.
LATAM sued YouTube’s parent company, Google, in Brazil, where the video was posted, and the Courts will consider whether they can enforce global takedowns.
Google, based in the U.S., argues that the case is an attempt to circumvent First Amendment protections and has the potential to create a precedent for extraterritorial enforcement of speech restrictions.
» China’s Draft Cybersecurity Law Amendment Intensifies Digital Repression
China’s Cyberspace Administration has proposed sweeping amendments to its 2017 Cybersecurity Law, doubling down on censorship and surveillance while increasing penalties for non-compliance.
Details:
The law mandates aggressive content filtering and immediate reporting of “prohibited information.”
The drafted amendment would expand liability for vaguely defined cybersecurity breaches, raising fines of up to 10 million yuan and targeting both entities and management personnel.
Article 64 introduces broad punishments for offering software or support services for undefined “prohibited acts,” posing risks for VPN providers, researchers, and digital rights defenders.
New provisions also compel proactive surveillance and real-time censorship by all online platforms, extending to application download providers and hosting services.
» Iran Restricts Internet Access After Israeli Strikes
On June 13, Iran’s communications ministry restricted internet access, blocking WhatsApp and disrupting VPNs used to bypass state controls following Israeli air and missile strikes.
The internet disruptions come amidst an intensifying crackdown on journalists covering the conflict.
Context:
The Friday of the attack, Iran’s Attorney General's Office announced people who “misuse cyberspace to undermine the psychological security of society…by publishing untrue content” would face regulatory consequences.
On June 17, the judiciary announced the establishment of a special task force to monitor cyberspace, social media, news agencies, and media outlets, to identify individuals spreading alleged misinformation about the war.
Journalists report they were issued warnings hours after Israel’s first strike on Iran, or risk immediate dismissal, and an exiled freelance journalist’s family was allegedly threatened by an intelligence agent.
Local media reported multiple arrests for the crime of supporting Israel online, including 16 people on June 14 in Isfahan.
» Gaza Faces Another Internet Blackout
Telecommunications across Gaza briefly resumed on June 14 after prior outages, but new fibre cuts have plunged southern and central regions into another full internet blackout.
Details: Telecommunications providers warn that without immediate resupply of fuel and oil, entire systems could shut down within days.
» Saudi Journalist Executed For Tweet Criticizing the Royal Family
Saudi journalist and blogger Turki bin Abdulaziz al‑Jasser was executed after being imprisoned for seven years over criticism of the Saudi royal family.
Details:
Al-Jasser was arrested in 2018 after using an anonymous Twitter account to criticize the Saudi royal family for disregarding human rights and women’s rights, their handling of Palestine, and for corruption.
The Saudi government claimed it identified him after infiltrating Twitter and gaining access to IP logs.
His assassination marks the first high-profile killing of a journalist for criticizing the Saudi government since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
» X Sues New York State Over Hate Speech Disclosure Law
Elon Musk’s X sued the state of New York over its Stop Hiding Hate Act, which mandates platforms disclose moderation practices against “hate speech.”
Details:
The Act demands transparency over social media platforms’ regulations to prevent hate speech and their enforcement, with penalties of up to $15,000 per day of noncompliance.
X’s case mirrors legal challenges to a similar California law, which was partially blocked by a federal appeals court last September. That law imposes penalties up to $15,000 per day and per violation.
The company argues that the law compels unconstitutional speech and infringes on constitutionally protected content moderation.
» UCSF Professor Sues Over Suspension of Clinical Privileges Tied to Social Media Posts
Dr. Rupa Marya, a professor and physician at the University of California, San Francisco, has filed a lawsuit claiming the university violated her First Amendment rights by suspending her clinical privileges over social media posts expressing solidarity with Gaza’s healthcare workers.
Details:
UCSF suspended Marya in October 2024, calling her a “possible imminent danger,” before reinstating her privileges two weeks later.
She was ultimately fired in May 2025 and claims her due process rights were violated.
The university began scrutinizing Marya’s posts as early as November 2023, accusing her of promoting “antisemitic” conspiracy theories, though she contends her statements targeted state policy and not religious or ethnic groups.
» Minnesota to Require Mental Health Warnings on Social Media
A bill in Minnesota mandates that social media platforms display government-authored mental health warnings to users, igniting debate over compelled speech.
Details:
Set to take effect on July 1, 2026, the law requires platforms to display mental health alerts at login, warning users of social media’s potential psychological harms and directing them to crisis services.
State health officials must approve warnings, which cannot be buried in terms of service, and must be actively acknowledged before access is granted.
» ACLU Sues Rhode Island School District for Blocking X Critic
A federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU challenges Rhode Island’s Smithfield School District for barring a resident from accessing its and the superintendent’s official X accounts, citing First Amendment violations.
Details:
Daniel Mayer, who had criticized Superintendent Dawn Bartz, was blocked from viewing or interacting with district-related posts.
Both accounts have since restricted access to him, requiring user approval. Mayer says his request to follow the accounts has gone unanswered for months.
The lawsuit argues public officials cannot exclude individuals from digital forums used for official communication based on viewpoint, as recently decided by the Supreme Court in O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed.
The Brussels Effect: Europe and Beyond 🇪🇺
» Ireland Advances Hate Speech Legislation in New LGBTIQ+ Action Plan
After receiving pressure from the EU in May, Ireland has escalated its hate speech regulations in the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II
Context:
The regulations include designating several government departments to enact legislation “to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, harm, and hatred.”
Ireland’s Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024, which came into effect in December, excluded regulations on hate speech, instead focusing on hate crimes.
As detailed in a May Free Flow, the European Commission warned Ireland it was failing to adequately address hate crimes and hate speech under the Digital Services Act.
» Independent Media in Georgia Suffers Amidst Foreign Agent Laws
At the Free Flow, we’ve been tracking a growing list of countries that are adopting foreign agent laws targeting organizations and media that receive foreign financial support.
Georgia’s recently enacted Foreign Agents Registration Act has escalated a crackdown on journalists covering pro-EU protests.
Context:
Following mass protests that defeated a foreign agent law proposal in 2023, Georgia passed a second, stricter version, which took effect in May of this year.
The Georgian National Communications Commission has already filed complaints targeting Formula TV and TV Pirveli after recent amendments to the nation’s Law on Broadcasting over the use of terms like “illegitimate government” and “oligarchic regime.”
Sanctions may include fines, content edits, public or written warnings, or loss of license.
Press Freedom Watch 🗞️
German Court to Rule on Banned Magazine: After the then-Interior Minister Nancy Faeser banned far-right magazine Compact, in July 2024, Germany’s Federal Administrative Court will determine whether the publication’s constitutional protections were violated. Faeser cited “antisemitic content” as the basis for the ban, but Compact was able to resume publishing while the case proceeds in August 2024 after winning a partial appeal.
Berkeley Student Journalists Detained During ICE Protests: San Francisco police detained two student journalists, Aarya Mukherjee and Sam Grotenstein of UC Berkeley’s Daily Californian, on June 8 and 9 while they were covering protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Both journalists were reportedly assaulted by officers while filming during the crackdown. Police allegedly used physical force to restrain the pair, despite repeated press identification.
Italian Intelligence Services Target Journalists With Spyware: Paragon Software’s Graphite spyware, which covertly accesses sensitive phone data, was deployed by Italian intelligence services and used to arrest two Italian journalists, adding to a growing list of journalists targeted by increased surveillance.
Press Club Sues LA Police for Using Excessive Force on Journalists: The Los Angeles Press Club filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the Police Chief, alleging law enforcement used excessive force against journalists covering immigration protests. Over a dozen cases have been documented of police interfering with news coverage at the city-wide protests, and journalists from prominent news outlets report being shot with rubber bullets.
Kenyan Blogger Dies in Custody After Criticizing Police Official: A post-mortem on Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old Kenyan blogger and teacher, has concluded he died from externally inflicted injuries while in police custody, contradicting earlier claims by authorities that he had self-harmed. Ojwand was arrested after a social media post allegedly critical of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. In the wake of the protests, Lagat has resigned, and a policeman has been arrested.
Protest Watch ✊
Russia Upholds Law Criminalizing Anti-War Speech: The Russian Constitutional Court ruled that a controversial law criminalizing “false information” about the military is constitutional, and elected officials can face greater penalties. This decision comes after Alexey Gorinov, who is serving seven years in prison for calling the invasion of Ukraine a war and mourning Ukrainian children, appealed his sentence.
Protesters in Togo Tortured and Detained: Following protests against constitutional reforms and government repression, Togolese authorities arrested dozens and allegedly tortured detainees in custody on June 5 and 6 in Lomé. Authorities cited “aggravated disturbance of public order” for detentions, claiming the protests were illegal due to a lack of prior declaration, and the government also warned against social media laws that could disturb public order. 56 have been released while three remain detained as of June 17.
ARTICLE19 Report Reveals China’s Global Campaign to Silence Overseas Protesters: A new report by ARTICLE19 details China’s systematic harassment of international protestors, from threats to physical assaults to increased surveillance across 12 countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. Targeting often intensifies around state visits by President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials, during which host country police have detained or blocked peaceful protesters, sometimes under diplomatic pressure.
Quick Hits 💨
Trump Extends TikTok Sale Deadline: President Trump signed an executive order Thursday extending the deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a U.S. buyer by 90 days, marking the third extension since taking office in January. As reported in a previous Free Flow, the Biden-era law banning TikTok unless it is sold to an American company was upheld by SCOTUS earlier this year, but enforcement has been delayed to avoid cutting off access to the popular app.
UK Judge Uses Assault as Justification for Quran Burning Conviction: The London judge cited Moussa Kadri’s violent assault against protester Hamit Coskun as evidence that his Quran-burning demonstration was “disorderly.” Coskun was found guilty of “religiously aggravated public order offence” and fined €240, as reported in a previous Free Flow.
Hong Kong Bans Protest-Themed Video Game: Authorities in Hong Kong have invoked national security laws to ban Reversed Front: Bonfire, a Taiwan-made game they claim promotes secession and armed revolution. This marks the first use of such laws to restrict a video game, warning that sharing or possessing it could constitute offenses like "incitement to secession" or "seditious intention."
U.S. Visa Interviews Unpaused at Arrival of Social Media Vetting Guidelines: As reported in a previous Free Flow, visa interviews were paused in late May pending implementation of expanded social media vetting standards. The new guidance, released on June 18, lifted the suspension, contingent on compliance with the social media mandate, which requires applicants’ social media platforms to be publicly accessible.
Tulane Scientist Resigns Over Alleged Gag Order: Kimberly Terrell, a researcher at Tulane's Environmental Law Clinic, stepped down after being placed under restrictive communication rules. She claims these restrictions attempted to silence her work on racial and environmental disparities in Louisiana's petrochemical corridor.
Aamir Khan Halts Blocked Movie Release Over Censored Scenes: Bollywood star Aamir Khan revealed he refused to release Dangal in Pakistan after its censor board demanded the removal of scenes featuring the Indian flag and national anthem. Khan said he rejected the request outright, citing the importance of retaining patriotic elements in the film.
Saudi Women’s Rights Activist Awaits Re-Sentencing:Fitness influencer and women’s rights activist Manahel al-Otaibi awaits a re-sentencing hearing set for June 25 before the Specialized Criminal Court. Al-Otaibi was sentenced to 11 years in January 2024 for “terrorist offenses,” related to social media activity supporting women’s rights and photos of herself without an abaya in public spaces.
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 at The Future of Free Speech.
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