freedom of expression
108 Articles

In Addition to Chinese Pressure, a Backsliding Democracy May Explain Zambia’s Decision to Cancel a Major Human Rights Summit
Zambia’s cancellation of RightsCon is an indication not only of China’s influence, but also the country's own democratic erosion under a government that promised otherwise.
The Just Security Podcast: Reporting at a Crossroads
A panel hosted by the Reiss Center and Just Security explores challenges facing national security journalism, legal risks, and newsroom leadership in a polarized landscape.

The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power Against Media: Keeping Track of the Big Picture
Tracking the use of State power requires systematically identifying linkages between individual developments and broader trends. This interactive graphic offers one method.

The Meta Oversight Board’s Advisory Opinion on Global Community Notes Rollout: Another Check on Platform Power?
A recent Meta Oversight Board Advisory Opinion marks a positive step in tackling misinformation and protecting digital rights on social media.

Human Rights at Risk in the Sprint Toward AI Sovereignty
Policymakers and the private sector should work with civil society to ensure that the pursuit of “sovereign AI” does not undermine fundamental rights.

The Philippines Is Jailing Journalists in the Name of “Terror Financing”: Why the World Should Be Alarmed
The case of a jailed journalist in the Philippines is a warning for how efforts to counter terrorism financing can be manipulated into political tools of repression.

The Spirit of Liberty—Horace E. Read Memorial Lecture
Finding the spirit of liberty in the United States requires looking beyond the leadership of elite institutions. Among ordinary citizens, there’s no scarcity of civic courage.

Writers’ Voices Increasingly Missing in Iran Protests As Regime Targets Democracy Advocates
As Iranians protested for freedom, the regime intensified its assault on writers and dissenters, silencing key voices like Narges Mohammadi and Ali Asadollahi.

The Assault on Law School Clinics is an Attack on Democracy Itself
Americans are witnessing a concerted effort to delegitimize legal defense for marginalized or politically disfavored people.

The Global Retreat from Content Moderation Is Endangering Free Expression: Kenya Shows Why
By abandoning proactive content moderation, platforms are accelerating a global slide toward censorship — the very outcome they claim to oppose.

Weaponizing the Espionage Act: What It Means for Whistleblowers, Reporters, and Democracy
How the Trump administration could weaponize the Espionage Act and its chilling effect to control the press and justify suppression.

The Just Security Podcast: Keeping Track of the Big Picture–Challenges to Press Freedom and Beyond
A discussion with Rebecca Hamilton about the use of State power and how to identify linkages between individual developments and broader trends in press freedom and beyond.