UK Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-16s & Anthropic Pulls Plug on AI Models After U.S. Order | The Free Flow 6/18/26
UK proposes a social media ban for under-16s, Anthropic pulls plug on advanced AI models after U.S. order limiting foreign nationals' use, FTC sues trans health group for 'deceptive claims,' and more.
This Week at a Glance 🔎
— 🇺🇲 Anthropic Pulls Plug on New AI Models after U.S. Order
— 🇨🇦 Canada Proposes Ban on Social Media for Under-16s
— 🇬🇧 UK Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-16s
— 🇮🇳 Mumbai Mayor Calls for Ban on Stand-Up Comedy
— 🇷🇺 Exiled Russian Artist Killed in Poland in Suspected Execution
First of All 🇺🇸
» FTC Sues Transgender Health Group for ‘Deceptive Claims’ on Youth Gender Medicine
The Federal Trade Commission and four states have filed a lawsuit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) over making “deceptive claims” in its health care guidelines for transgender children.
Details:
WPATH is a nonprofit professional and educational organization whose members include psychiatrists, surgeons, pediatricians, endocrinologists, and primary care doctors. The organization does not provide direct medical care to patients.
“The FTC filed a lawsuit against WPATH alleging that the organization made false and unsubstantiated claims regarding the necessity, effectiveness and safety of puberty blockers, hormones and sex-change surgeries,” FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a press release.
In a statement, WPATH said, “The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is not a medical provider and has no place interfering with the process of individualized medical decision-making.”
The suit comes after the FTC probed WPATH and other physician organizations that created guidelines for gender-affirming care earlier this year.
WPATH, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Endocrine Society sued the agency separately, arguing the probe was retaliatory. A federal judge ruled in their favor.
WPATH noted in its statement that a federal court has already ruled against this effort from the FTC when it blocked the investigation: “WPATH is in a strong position to prove that the FTC is acting out of pure retaliation as part of the federal government’s relentless and targeted campaign to undermine gender-affirming care by attacking the First Amendment rights and the independence of professional medical organizations.”
» Anthropic Pulls Plug on Top AI Models after US Order to Limit Foreign Nationals’ Use
Anthropic has announced it will “abruptly disable” its most advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, for all users, following a directive from the Trump administration to suspend access to the models for foreign nationals, claiming the order violates principles of fair and fact-based regulation.
Context:
Earlier last week, Anthropic unveiled Claude Fable 5, which has a new tier of capability it calls “Mythos-class” that experts claim could accelerate sophisticated cyberattacks if in the wrong hands.
Anthropic claims it worked with the U.S. government, among others, on safety ahead of the model’s launch, and that rival models demonstrated similar capabilities.
Yet, on June 12, the company said it had received an export control directive to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for all foreign nationals due to national security concerns, though specific details were not provided.
Anthropic’s Response:
Anthropic claims the directive stems from the government’s belief that there is a method to bypass, or “jailbreak,” a safeguard that prevents Fable 5 from being used to identify software vulnerabilities and unearth minor bugs in code.
However, it argues that the U.S. has provided only “verbal evidence of a potential narrow, non-universal, jailbreak,” and that that should not “be cause for recalling a commercial model deployed to hundreds of millions of people.”
In response, the company announced it must terminate all customers’ access to the models to ensure compliance, and that it is working to restore access as soon as possible amid what it believes is a “misunderstanding.”
The tension follows an earlier battle between the AI company and the government after Anthropic refused to allow the U.S. military to use its models for domestic surveillance and for fully autonomous weapons systems, as detailed in a previous Free Flow.
Our Take: “Software and the publication of model components are expression,” Ashkhen Kazaryan argued in an X thread. “When the state restricts a general purpose information tool by invoking national security without particular demonstrated harm, it is doing exactly what the First Amendment exists to stop — a prior restraint on expression justified by speculative risk.
» Supreme Court Declines High School Student’s ‘Defund Planned Parenthood’ Poster Case
On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear a free-speech appeal from a former Indiana high school student who was barred from hanging anti-abortion club flyers reading “Defund Planned Parenthood” on school walls, leaving in place a lower-court ruling that the school could restrict the content.
Details:
The case began in 2021, when a freshman identified as E.D. founded a chapter of Students for Life of America at Noblesville High School.
An assistant principal refused to approve two proposed meeting flyers featuring the phrases “Defund Planned Parenthood” and “I am the Pro-Life Generation,” telling her the posters could list only the club’s name, meeting date, time, and location.
A federal district court ruled for the school in 2024, finding the flyers “could reasonably be perceived to bear the imprimatur of the school,” and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld that decision.
The Seventh Circuit agreed: “This is not a case about tolerating private student speech. To the contrary, E.D. was permitted to wear her pro-life shirt to school and hand out her flyers to students at the activities fair. Instead, it is a case about whether the school must lend its resources (here, literally its walls) — and, by extension, its authority — to disseminate student messages.”
The district court had applied a 1988 Supreme Court decision in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, which held that a school can exercise “editorial control over the style and content of student speech in school-sponsored expressive activities so long as their actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.”
Justice Samuel Alito criticized the denial, writing that the Court should “clarify the relationship between” the 1988 decision and its other government-speech rulings.
» Federal Judge Blocks Texas AG’s Lawsuit Against Fundraising Platform
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction halting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform, over its donation practices, arguing Paxton infringed on its free speech rights.
Context:
Paxton alleges that ActBlue told Congress in 2024 that it had stopped accepting donations via gift cards and foreign prepaid debit cards, and later quietly resumed accepting gift-card donations, thereby misleading consumers about its fundraising processes and violating state law.
The lawsuit argued that the group’s actions facilitated illegal campaign contributions by anonymous foreign nationals and that it should be forced to pay penalties and be barred from accepting gift card donations.
ActBlue filed a federal case, claiming Paxton was retaliating after the group had made fundraising announcements about James Talarico, Paxton’s opponent in the race for a U.S. Senate seat.
In Court:
U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns issued a preliminary injunction, arguing that the lawsuit was an attempt to suppress ActBlue’s political speech.
“The truth is plain and captured in Paxton’s own declarations: The lawsuit was filed in retaliation for (and in an attempt to suppress) ActBlue’s efforts to fund Talarico’s campaign,” Stearns wrote.
The Digital Age 🤖
» Canada Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-16s, Expansion of Enforcement Powers
Proposed Bill C-34 in Canada, also known as the Safe Social Media Act, would ban social media for kids under the age of 16, unless a social media company can prove that it has working safeguards in place for children.
At the same time, the government has unveiled Bill C-36, also known as the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act (PPCDA), which would reform existing privacy laws to transfer authority from Canada’s privacy commissioner to an incoming Canadian Digital Safety Commission (CDSC).
Bill C-34:
The law would require companies to block users under 16 from creating accounts, though they may seek an exemption if they can demonstrate guardrails in place to protect children from bullying or harmful content.
Companies would also be required to remove sexually explicit content that victimizes children and adults, including AI-generated deepfakes, within 24 hours.
Although AI chatbots are not included in the social media ban, they will face additional regulations, such as mandated notices directing users to help when prompts explore suicide ideation, self-harm, or criminal activity.
The bill would also create the Canadian Digital Safety Commission, which could take up to 18 months to establish after the bill becomes law, and have new powers under another recently proposed law, Bill C-36.
Bill C-36:
Bill C-36 transfers the authority to oversee privacy in the private sector from Canada’s privacy commissioner to the CDSC, and grants it new powers, including the ability to issue platforms binding orders and monetary penalties of up to $10 million or 3% of companies’ global revenue.
Officials claim that a privacy and data commissioner will be appointed to the CDSC and will enforce both the PPDCA and the Safe Social Media Act.
Among a number of changes, Bill C-36 would allow individuals to request that companies delete their personal information and remove deepfake images or videos from commercial platforms such as social media.
» Florida Sues TikTok, Claiming It Flouts State’s Social-Media Law for Minors
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a civil lawsuit against TikTok, asking a state court to declare the company a public nuisance for failing to comply with a 2024 law requiring parental consent for teens aged 14-15 to use social media apps.
Details:
Florida’s 2024 law, which took effect in November 2025, requires 14- and 15-year-olds to obtain a parent’s consent to have social media accounts and bars children 13 and under from apps with addictive features such as endless scrolling, push notifications, autoplay video, and live streaming.
Uthmeier, in a first lawsuit brought under the law, alleges that TikTok does not require the parental consent required by the law and misrepresents the maturity of its content.
Uthmeier said TikTok faces “potentially billions in damages” and asked the court to impose a $50,000 fine per violation.
» Illinois Governor Intends to Sign Social Media Age-Verification Law
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has said he intends to sign House Bill 5511, or the “Child Social Media Safety Act,” designed to protect children on online platforms — despite experts’ concerns about its constitutionality.
Details:
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, a sponsor of the bill, said she believes the law will allow parents to control the content shown to children through a one-time, device-level age verification.
Pritzker is slated to sign the legislation into law soon, and it could face challenges in federal court.
» NY Senate Passes Bill Requiring Publishers, Broadcasters to Label AI Content
The New York State Senate and Assembly have passed companion bills as part of a legislative package called the FAIR News Act that would require publishers and broadcasters to disclose and label AI-generated content.
Details:
The bill would require outlets to disclose content that is “substantially composed, authored, or otherwise created through the use of generative artificial intelligence.”
Labels of such content would be required to appear at the top of a print or digital story or at the beginning of audio or visual content.
The Attorney General is empowered to determine what content is “substantially created” by AI and requires labeling.
Failures to disclose could result in a $1,000 fine for the first infraction and $5,000 for subsequent violations.
State Sen. Patricia Fahy has claimed her bill is not aimed at mainstream news outlets or commercial television newsrooms, but rather targets “fly-by-night” digital outlets that distort, pirate, or misrepresent content from legitimate outlets using AI.
However, the press release issued by her office applies to “news organizations operating in New York” and makes no distinction between legitimate and rogue outlets.
The bill is now headed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk.
The Brussels Effect: Europe and Beyond 🇪🇺
» UK Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-16s
A proposed UK law would bar children under 16 from social media platforms and extend restrictions to gaming sites, to block children from accessing “harmful functions” such as livestreaming and the ability to communicate with strangers.
Details:
The ban would apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X, though under-16s would still have access to messaging services like WhatsApp.
People under 18 would be banned from having AI “romantic companions,” though the details of the restriction and its enforcement are unclear.
Tech companies that fail to comply could face fines.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he hopes to have the regulations passed by lawmakers in late December and for them to take effect by the spring of 2027.
Our Take: “Although framed as a child-protection measure, the proposal would affect far more than teenagers,” Jeff Kosseff wrote at The Bedrock Principle. “By requiring intrusive age verification and limiting access to online platforms, it risks undermining privacy, anonymous speech, and freedom of expression for everyone.”
» UK Appeals Court Upholds Terrorism Ban on Protest Group Palestine Action
Britain’s Court of Appeal has ruled that the government’s proscription of the activist group Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organization under the Terrorism Act 2000 was lawful, overturning a February High Court finding that the ban was unlawful and disproportionate.
Context:
Since the group was banned in July 2025, more than 3,000 arrests have been made for displaying support for it.
Lawyers representing Britain’s Interior Minister, Shabana Mahmood, had argued at an April hearing that the claims the ban would significantly curtail free expression were “overstated and incorrect.”
Chief Justice Sue Carr cited the fact that the group’s activities have caused injury and property damage, and “at no stage has Palestine Action suggested that its terrorist activities were either a mistake or an aberration.”
Free Speech Recession 🌍
» Exiled Russian Artist Killed in Suspected Execution in Poland
Semyon Skrepetsky, a 44-year-old Russian artist known for creating unflattering caricatures of President Vladimir Putin, was shot dead in Poland in a parking lot near his home near Poland’s border with Belarus.
Details:
Skrepetsky had lived in Poland for 5 years after escaping Russia, fearing arrest for his activism.
His paintings often depicted Putin with a bovine nose or hugging pigs, many times alongside Russian officials, world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Xinping, and even Elon Musk.
Marcin Kozak, a spokesman for Poland’s prosecutors’ office, said that according to current information, Skrepetsky fell to the ground after an unidentified man fired two shots at him. Then, the perpetrator fired three more shots before fleeing the scene.
Police detained two Belarusian men near the Belarusian Consulate after the shooting for suspected execution.
» Tunisian Court Sentences Government-Critical Journalist To Prison In Absentia
A Tunisian court has sentenced Khaoula Boukrim, journalist and founder of the news website TUMEDIA, to four years in prison in absentia under a 2022 cybercrime law.
Details:
The ruling is the latest move against critical voices under President Kais Saied, following the jailing of several media figures earlier this year, including Zied Heni, Mourad Zghidi, and Borhen Bsaies.
Boukrim had fled to Paris in December 2025, after she was informed that two separate judgments had been issued against her under Decree-Law 54, a cybercrime law aimed at combating misinformation and online abuse.
According to Reuters, rights groups argue that the law has increasingly been used to prosecute critics and curb free speech.
» Mumbai Mayor Calls for Ban on Stand-Up Comedy Shows
In Mumbai, India, Mayor Ritu Tawde has called for a ban on stand-up comedy shows after the Maharashtra Cyber, the state’s cybercrime and cybersecurity agency, launched an investigation into a comedy show that allegedly featured obscene and objectionable content circulating online.
Details:
Content from the program, hosted by comedian Pranit More, began circulating on social media and allegedly contained offensive remarks concerning women, consent, and deceased persons.
Authorities claim the content was contrary to accepted societal norms and subject to provisions of criminal law.
The Maharashtra Cyber registered a First Information Report (FIR), which automatically initiates a formal police investigation, against comedians Pranit More, Himanshu Jangra, Sejal Pawar, and other individuals associated with the show.
Speaking about the show, Tawde said, “As the Mayor, I oppose this; it does not befit our Indian culture…Stand-up comedy shows should be banned. I will write a letter to the Chief Minister.”
» Azerbaijan Rearrests Exiled Journalist After Forced Return From Georgia
Azerbaijan rearrested Afgan Sadigov, editor-in-chief of the online outlet Azel.TV, after he was arrested in Georgia in 2024 over an Azerbaijani extradition request alleging extortion, without evidence.
Details:
Sadigov had applied to the European Court of Human Rights to halt his removal on the grounds that his rights in Azerbaijan would be violated, and the court suspended his transfer.
On April 1, Azerbaijani authorities terminated the criminal prosecution behind the extradition request. Georgian courts subsequently lifted the restrictions on Sadigov.
On April 4, Georgian authorities detained Sadigov on an administrative charge of “insulting a police officer on social media” and deported him to Azerbaijan.
Georgian authorities claimed that the ECtHR’s suspension of Sadigov’s transfer was no longer relevant since Azerbaijan had dropped the charges.
In Azerbaijan, authorities prevented him from leaving the country, telling him the case against him was active despite official documentation showing it had been closed.
Sadigov was detained on June 8, and his lawyer reports that an Azerbaijani court had ordered the case reopened.
» Pakistan Detains YouTube Journalist Over Kashmir Protest Coverage
Pakistani authorities have arrested journalist Sohrab Barkat over his coverage of protests in Kashmir on his YouTube channel.
Details:
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) accused Barkat of violating the country’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), which criminalized the dissemination of “fake or false” information.
The NNCIA cited a June 5 report by Barkat, which they say promoted the views of a local protest movement called the Jammu Kashmir Join Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
JAAC was banned by Pakistan-administered Kashmir under anti-terrorism laws on the same day.
Bakarat appeared in court and was remanded in custody for three days.
This follows his earlier detention from November 2025 to March this year, which carried no charges and is linked to his journalism, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
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.
Isabella Dail is a communications intern at The Future of Free Speech and a recent graduate from Princeton University with a bachelor’s in philosophy.