The Free Flow — May 15, 2025
Popular online streamer detained and questioned in U.S., judges order release of detained students, India issues advisory to remove Pakistan content, Dominican journalists protest new bill, and more.
First of All:
» Popular Online Streamer Detained, Questioned About Political Views
Popular streamer Hasan Piker says he was detained for two hours by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a Chicago airport upon returning from abroad.
The U.S.-born content creator reported being questioned about his political views, including his coverage of Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Trump, before being released without explanation.
Details:
Piker, who has 4.5 million followers on YouTube and Twitch, said the agencies “very obviously” knew who he was and questioned him in a “detention” center despite his Global Entry status.
The Department of Homeland Security dismissed claims that the stop was politically motivated, calling it a “routine, lawful process.”
» President Trump Fires U.S. Copyright Chief After AI Fair Use Report
The Trump administration has fired Shira Perlmutter, head of the U.S. Copyright Office, just days after she released a report exploring the legal risks of using copyrighted content to train AI models.
Details:
Perlmutter’s report warned that the use of copyrighted material in AI training may violate fair use laws, though it did not recommend immediate regulation.
Rep. Joe Morelle called her dismissal a “brazen, unprecedented power grab” amid criticism that the move was a politicized attack on independent oversight.
Context:
Her dismissal follows the abrupt ousting of Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, who oversaw the copyright office and was targeted for supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives.
The Trump administration has been accused of trying to establish centralized control over federal agencies through the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. Musk is a vocal critic of IP laws and has advocated scrapping copyright protections altogether.
» Judge Orders Release of Tufts Student Detained Over Op-Ed
A federal judge has ordered the immediate release of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish Ph.D. student at Tufts University, who ICE detained after publishing an op-ed critical of Israel.
Context: Secretary of State Marco Rubio had revoked Ozturk’s visa, citing vague “foreign policy interests,” a justification used to target multiple students engaged in dissent over U.S. involvement in Gaza.
The court found the detention raised serious First Amendment and due process concerns, especially given the absence of evidence beyond her public expression.
» Judge Orders Release of Georgetown Scholar Detained Over Pro-Palestinian Speech
On May 14, a federal judge in Virginia ordered the release of Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University visiting scholar from India, who federal agents detained in March.
Details:
Khan Suri, in the U.S. on a J-1 visa, had been held in Texas after being moved from Virginia and Louisiana.
He is married to a U.S. citizen and has three children.
The Department of Homeland Security accused him of spreading Hamas propaganda and having ties to a suspected terrorist.
Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ruled that there was no evidence Khan Suri posed a danger to the community and found his detention likely retaliatory.
» Sen. Mike Lee Wants to Redefine ‘Obscenity’
On May 8, Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Mary Millery introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA), a sweeping bill that seeks to redefine federal obscenity law.
Details:
The IODA would change the Supreme Court’s established Miller v. California three-part test for obscenity by introducing a broader, more subjective standard, Jacob Mchangama and Ashkhen Kazaryan write at MSNBC.
The proposed bill would eliminate the requirement that material be “patently offensive,” and instead rely on determining whether the content is intended to arouse or if it lacks “serious value.”
Our scholars warn that the bill could be used to censor not just pornography, but artistic, educational, health, and LGBTQ+ related materials.
The Digital Age
» Uzbekistan Proposes Throttling as Substitute for Platform Bans
Uzbekistan has unveiled a draft law titled “On the Protection of User Rights on Online Platforms and Websites,” which would authorize courts to throttle platforms that fail to comply.
Details:
The law would replace complete bans on non-compliant platforms with throttling, or reduced access speeds.
While the law does not impose fines or criminal penalties and carves out mass media platforms from its scope, Uzbekistan’s rising internet presence, now at 32.7 million users, raises the stakes for platforms navigating local compliance expectations.
» Republicans Seek Decade-Long Ban on State AI Regulations
House Republicans have introduced a provision in a budget reconciliation bill that would prohibit states from regulating AI and other automated systems for 10 years.
Details:
The measure, buried in a broader fiscal package, would prevent enforcement of any laws that impose design, liability, or documentation requirements on AI systems, including those used for tasks like search, recommendations, and sentencing risk assessments.
Its sweeping language targets not only generative AI, but a wide array of “automated decision systems,” potentially halting 500 proposed state laws aimed at regulating AI.
Bills to watch:
Some blocked measures would include laws requiring AI-generated deepfake disclosures, which have already advanced in Utah, protections for artistic likeness rights (like those passed in California and Tennessee), and mandates to protect users from “algorithmic discrimination,” as seen in Colorado.
As previously reported in The Free Flow, Minnesota’s 2023 law criminalizing the use of AI-generated political deepfakes intended to harm candidates or influence elections has already faced pressure from a lawsuit led by Elon Musk.
» Dominican Journalists Protest Digital Oversight Bill
On May 13, dozens of journalists marched through Santo Domingo on May 13 to protest a bill that would establish a government regulator to oversee digital media and social networks in the Dominican Republic.
Details:
The bill would create what the government claims is an independent authority tasked with policing content that allegedly violates the dignity or privacy of individuals, with a special focus on children.
Protesters, including prominent reporters, say the measure could criminalize criticism and curb digital speech under a government already accused of limiting press access and imposing state censorship.
» India Issues Platform Advisory to Remove All Pakistani-Origin Content
On May 8, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory directing OTT platforms, like media-streaming services, and intermediaries to remove all content of Pakistani origin, citing national security concerns.
Background:
The move comes after India blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, as reported in our last Free Flow.
Details:
The request applies to all formats, including web series, films, songs, and podcasts, regardless of whether they are offered by subscription or freely accessible.
The government has reportedly already ordered the blocking of 8,000 accounts on X, subjecting the social media platform to potential penalties, including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees.
This marks one of the most expansive peacetime content bans on cross-border media in recent years and may set a precedent for using national security claims to justify broad speech restrictions in digital media.
» India’s Supreme Court Rejects Court-Ordered Wikipedia Takedown
The Supreme Court of India overturned a Delhi High Court directive that ordered Wikipedia to delete a page documenting a legal dispute involving the news agency ANI.
Context:
The case arose from a defamation suit filed by ANI, which accused Wikipedia of hosting defamatory content, calling it a “propaganda tool” of the government.
The Delhi High Court directed the disclosure of the editor's identities and ordered the removal of a Wikipedia page that described the ongoing legal proceedings.
Supreme Court Ruling:
The Court ruled that media takedown orders must meet strict legal standards, including necessity, proportionality, and proof of real harm.
The ruling also set aside an earlier order asking for the deletion of ANI-related content on Wikipedia’s article page.
» Africa Pushes Back on Tech’s Retreat from Fact-Checking
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has adopted Resolution 630/2025 to sound alarms over the rollback of fact-checking services by major platforms like Meta and YouTube, replaced by crowdsourced community notes systems.
Details:
The resolution criticizes community notes as no substitute for corporate responsibility or independent fact-checking, especially in conflict-affected regions.
The Commission calls for the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in Africa to draft guidelines with input from civil society and tech firms.
It also suggests further enforcement, including potential investigations under Article 45 of the African Charter.
» Open AI’s ‘Democratic AI’ Pitch Politicizes Global Regulation
OpenAI’s latest initiative, “OpenAI for Countries,” frames the company as a champion of “democratic AI,” tying itself to U.S. values and infrastructure.
The plan includes helping nations build AI ecosystems, data centers, and startup funds, all while aligning with U.S. geopolitical interests and tech supremacy.
Details:
CEO Sam Altman told Congress that OpenAI aims to get the world on a “U.S. tech stack,” from chips to applications like ChatGPT, amid a broader deregulatory pivot among AI leaders under the Trump administration.
OpenAI says partnering with the U.S. government is the best way to promote democratic AI and counter “autocratic alternatives.”
Critics argue that the company’s vision risks state influence over AI systems and threatens digital sovereignty in joining countries.
The Brussels Effect: Europe and Beyond
» Hungary Proposes Law to Blacklist NGOs Over Foreign Funding
Hungary’s parliament is considering a new law that would allow the government to monitor, penalize, or ban organizations deemed to “threaten national sovereignty” over foreign funding.
Details:
The legislation would dramatically expand the powers of Hungary’s Sovereignty Protection Office, allowing it to blacklist groups that allegedly undermine the country’s “constitutional identity,” “Christian culture,” or values like “traditional family and biological sexes.”
Blacklisted organizations could face bank account seizures, surveillance of electronic devices, and fines up to 25 times the amount of foreign funding received.
The bill also bars these groups from receiving tax-deductible donations from Hungarian citizens and requires special government approval to accept foreign donations.
» EU Commission Refers Five Member States to Court Over DSA Failures
The European Commission has referred Czechia, Spain, Cyprus, Poland, and Portugal to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fully implement the Digital Services Act.
Details:
The DSA required all EU member states to appoint a Digital Services Coordinator by February 17, 2024, to supervise and enforce DSA provisions.
While Czechia, Cyprus, Spain, and Portugal designated DSCs, they failed to grant them sufficient enforcement powers. Poland did not designate or empower a DSC at all.
All five countries also failed to establish penalty regimes for DSA violations.
» Germany Bans ‘Kingdom of Germany’ Group Amid Far-Right Crackdown
Germany has officially banned the “Kingdom of Germany,” a separatist group rooted in the far-right Reichsbürger movement that denies the legitimacy of modern German institutions and laws.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced the action, which included police raids and the detention of key members, including founder Peter Fitzek.
Details:
The group had built a symbolic counter-state with its own flag, currency, and constitution, and was deemed a persistent threat to the constitutional legal order.
It has around 6,000 followers and was officially labeled extremist by domestic intelligence in 2022.
Context:
The move comes amid heightened debate over far-right extremism in Germany, especially as the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)’s extremist classification was suspended as reported in last week’s Free Flow.
» Artists Fight Back Against UK AI Copyright Reforms
A group of high-profile musicians, including Elton John and Dua Lipa, are urging the UK government to reconsider proposed AI copyright reforms that would allow AI developers to scrape copyrighted content unless creators opt out.
Details:
Under current proposals, tech companies like OpenAI and Google would be legally allowed to train AI models on copyrighted works by default, requiring creators to opt out.
The Kidron amendment calls for stronger transparency and opt-in requirements for AI training data, ensuring AI firms identify which works they use and establish a licensing regime with rights-holders.
» EU Signals Willingness to Adjust AI Act Under Compliance Pressure
According to Kilian Gross, head of the Commission's AI Policy, the European Commission is open to “targeted changes” to the Artificial Intelligence Act as part of a broader push for deregulation and competitiveness.
His statement comes days after the AI Office announced a €9 million tender to strengthen its enforcement capabilities under the Act.
Details:
While ruling out a fundamental legislation reopening, Gross acknowledged that simplifying implementation is the top priority.
If simplification proves insufficient, the Commission will consider selective amendments to ease burdens on the industry.
What’s Next:
After missing its self-imposed May 2, deadline, the Commission is also preparing a voluntary code of practice for high-impact general-purpose AI models like Chat GPT.
The code is intended to guide compliance ahead of the enforcement date and will provide nonbinding implementation guidelines for GPAI developers.
» Wikimedia Challenges UK’s Online Safety Act in Court
On May 8, the Wikimedia Foundation filed a legal challenge against a key provision of the UK’s new Online Safety Act, arguing that the law risks imposing disproportionate obligations on public interest platforms like Wikipedia.
Details:
The Foundation is specifically contesting the Categorization Regulations, which would classify Wikipedia as a “Category 1 service,” a designation for high-risk commercial platforms.
Despite its nonprofit nature and privacy-focused editorial model, this status would subject Wikimedia to strict content moderation, age verification, and reporting mandates.
Press Freedom:
Texas Bill Weakening Anti-SLAPP Protections Shelved: Texas House Bill 2988, which would have allowed judges to decide whether prevailing defendants receive attorneys’ fees in defamation and libel suits as a replacement for the current automatic award system, has been tabled following widespread criticism.
Sweden Intervenes After Trump Freezes Radio Free Europe Funding: Sweden announced it will donate 20 million krona to Radio Free Europe after the Trump administration froze U.S. federal funding for the broadcaster.
Pope Leo XIV Calls for Release of Jailed Journalists: In remarks delivered at a Vatican event honoring journalists, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s solidarity with imprisoned journalists and called for their immediate release. He underscored the essential role of the press in fostering peace and defending truth.
Protest Watch:
Hong Kong Authorities Target Families of Exiled Activists: On May 2, Hong Kong authorities arrested the father of U.S.-based activist Anna Kwok under the 2024 Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, charging him with “indirectly” handling the finances of an “absconder.” Kwok, Executive Director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, has been in exile since 2023.
UK’s CPS Admits to Incorrectly Charging Quran Burning and Charges on Different Ground: England and Wales’ Crown Prosecution Service has admitted to incorrectly charging Hamit Coskun for burning a Quran during a protest outside the Turkish Consulate in February. The original charge —intent to cause harassment, alarm, or distress to “the religious institution of Islam”—has been replaced with a charge under Section 5 of the Public Order Act, which criminalizes disorderly behavior likely to cause harassment or distress.
Quick Hits:
Turkey Blocks Jailed Mayor’s X Account: Turkish authorities have blocked domestic access to the X account of jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, arrested in March on corruption charges that allies say are politically motivated. Imamoglu’s X account, with 9.7 million followers, has been a crucial tool for communicating from prison via messages relayed by his lawyers. The block is limited to Turkey, and a lawyer for X has filed a legal challenge to the account block.
Netflix CEO Says No Episodes Passed Chinese Censorship Board: Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos has confirmed the streaming giant’s decision to abandon efforts to enter the Chinese market, revealing that in three years, not a single Netflix episode passed China’s censorship board.
Russia Sentences Top Election Observer to Five Years: Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of the Russian election watchdog Golos, has been sentenced to five years in prison and barred from civic activity for nine years. He was convicted under laws targeting “undesirable organizations” over alleged links to the Kremlin-blacklisted European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, and has been imprisoned since his arrest in August 2023.
EU Considers Disinformation Agency to Counter Kremlin Interference: Swedish MEP Tomas Tobé has proposed the creation of an independent EU agency to counter Russian disinformation and election interference.
British Banking Analyst Jailed in Saudi Arabia Over Alleged Tweet: Ahmed al-Doush, a British national and Bank of America analyst, was sentenced this week to 10 years in Saudi prison under terrorism and cybercrime laws. His lawyer believes the charges stem from a since-deleted 2018 tweet about Sudan that did not mention Saudi Arabia or his relationship with the son of an exiled Saudi critic.
Hirad Mirami is a research assistant at The Future of Free Speech and a student at the University of Chicago studying economics and history. Ashley Haek is a communications coordinator at The Future of Free Speech.