Tesla CEO Elon Musk completed his $44 billion purchase of Twitter on Thursday after a chaotic, months-long buyout process, leaving the richest man on the planet in control of one of the world’s most widely used social media and communication platforms. Musk wasted no time imposing himself on the company, swiftly firing several top executives including CEO Parag Agrawal. “The bird is freed,” Musk tweeted late Thursday. A self-described free speech absolutist who has proven in practice to be anything but, Musk has yet to fully detail his vision for Twitter, but critics of the takeover fear that the billionaire’s…
Free Speech
Meta’s clampdown on Palestine speech is far from ‘unintentional’
Meta’s clampdown on Palestine speech is far from ‘unintentional’ A report on the social media giant validated Palestinian experiences of censorship in May 2021, but missed how those policies are biased by design. The post Meta’s clampdown on Palestine speech is far from ‘unintentional’ appeared first on +972 Magazine. Source / Read More: Meta’s clampdown on Palestine speech is far from ‘unintentional’
The Onion Files Parody Brief to Supreme Court in Defense of Speech Rights
The Onion, a parody news organization that bills itself as “America’s Finest News Source,” has filed a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case involving the suppression of a man’s speech rights after he parodied his local police department. Anthony Novak created a Facebook page six years ago in which he made blatantly fake posts pretending to be the police department from his hometown in Parma, Ohio. In response, the department arrested Novak, alleging that he committed a criminal felony by using his computer to “disrupt” or “interrupt” police functions. Novak was acquitted of those charges in…
German broadcaster requires employees to ‘support Israel’s right to exist’
German broadcaster requires employees to ‘support Israel’s right to exist’ Deutsche Welle’s new code of conduct marks the latest Israel-related crackdown on free speech in German public life. The post German broadcaster requires employees to ‘support Israel’s right to exist’ appeared first on +972 Magazine. Source / Read More: German broadcaster requires employees to ‘support Israel’s right to exist’
Right Wing “Woke Heat Maps” Target and Track Progressives for Crackdown
A right-wing group in Missouri has launched a “woke heat map” documenting instances of “wokeness” in an attempt to fight back against “critical race theory” and alleged “grooming” in schools across the state. The group, dubbed “Liberty Alliance,” says it is “committed to fighting back against the Woke agenda that is permeating all across Missouri.” “The first step in fighting back is uncovering their crazy ideas – from Critical Race Theory to grooming toddlers with sexually explicit books,” the organization states on its website. “That is why we have officially launched the Woke Heat Map – an interactive tool designed…
Florida School Board Reverses Plan to Censor “Don’t Say Gay” Page in Yearbook
A Florida school board has decided that photos depicting student-led protests against an anti-LGBTQ law in the state will not be censored from a high school yearbook, reversing an action from the county superintendent. A page of the Lyman High School yearbook, located within the Seminole County School District, showcased how students left classrooms earlier this year to voice their collective opposition against HB 1557. Opponents of the legislation called it the “Don’t Say Gay” to highlight how it stifled conversation in classrooms. The bill, which has since passed and become law (though it is not yet enforced), bans teachers…
States Are Considering Laws That Penalize Banks for Fossil Fuel Divestment
This article is published as part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of news outlets strengthening coverage of the climate story. The influential rightwing lobby group the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is driving a surge in new state laws to block boycotts of the oil industry. The group’s strategy, which aims to protect large oil firms and other conservative-friendly industries, is modelled on legislation to punish divestment from Israel. Since the beginning of the year, state legislatures in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Indiana have introduced a version of a law drafted by ALEC, called the Energy Discrimination Elimination…
Exxon Is Using an Unusual Texas Law to Intimidate Critics of Its Climate Denial
This article is published as part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of news outlets strengthening coverage of the climate story. ExxonMobil is attempting to use an unusual Texas law to target and intimidate its critics, claiming that lawsuits against the company over its long history of downplaying and denying the climate crisis violate the US constitution’s guarantees of free speech. The US’s largest oil firm is asking the Texas supreme court to allow it to use the law, known as rule 202, to pursue legal action against more than a dozen California municipal officials. Exxon claims that in…