France becomes first EU country to ban social media for under-15s
Lawmakers dropped a proposed blacklist of platforms after the European Commission warned the plan clashed with the bloc's own digital rulebook.
Free speech
Latest reporting and analysis on free speech.
Ann Widdecombe killed in two-minute hammer attack, court hears
Prosecutors said the former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman was struck 21 times on the head at her home in Devon.
Dutch MPs push to remove right-wing broadcaster from public system
ON! director Peter Vlemmix has rejected the criticism. In June he told AD the broadcaster was fighting "to survive".
Berlin café owner refuses to serve customer wearing AfD tie, vows: ‘No coffee for Nazis’
The man responded that a café owner should be "unpolitical", she said, to which she replied: "No".
FIFA investigates Argentina again over World Cup Falklands banner
The British Government and the Falkland Islands assembly want players punished before Argentina meet Spain in the final.
Transgender Aberdeen University employee who celebrated Ann Widdecomby’s death arrested
The force said a report would be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, Scotland's public prosecutor. It has not specified the exact offence.
Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen barred from transiting through Heathrow after ‘hate speech’ conviction
The veteran MP said she was given no explanation for the reversal despite contacting the British Embassy in Helsinki.
Graham Linehan awarded £25,000 compensation and apology for arrest after ‘transphobic’ tweets
In a letter to Linehan, the force acknowledged "shortcomings in the investigation, the arrest and the imposition of bail conditions".
European Parliament approves ‘mini-chat control’
A motion to reject the extension failed to achieve the absolute majority needed in the second-reading procedure.
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Polish journalists protest purge of public media in Hungary comparing it to Tusk’s actions
In their statement they recall events that took place in Poland in December 2023, days after the present centre-left government led by Tusk took power.
Estonia orders Moscow-linked Orthodox church to sever ties with Patriarch Kirill
Tallinn has given the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church until late December to appoint a new metropolitan and break from the Moscow Patriarchate or face dissolution…
New Hungarian government halts state television news broadcasts
The sudden removal of M1 and Kossuth from the air, framed by Budapest as ending Orbán-era propaganda, echoes Donald Tusk's rapid overhaul of Poland's state media…
MEP Sonneborn slams chat control push: ‘Suspends a fundamental right’
The new vote will take place under different rules, favouring approval because its might be able to pass with minority support.
France World Cup win against Paraguay spirals into an international dispute
Emmanuel Macron weighed in on a dispute sparked by racist remarks from Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla directed at France captain Kylian Mbappé.
UK sanctions Russians over nerve agents used to kill Navalny
The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced the measures, targeting seven individuals and two scientific research institutes.
YouTube warns UK creators over plan to boost public broadcasters
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the proposals as "appalling state censorship".
Left-wing extremists hunt down conservative journalists at AfD party congress in Erfurt
Clashes between demonstrators and police erupted throughout the day, alongside repeated outbreaks of violence.
Turkish comedian arrested over jokes about Erdoğan
Deniz Göktaş faces investigations for “publicly insulting religious values” and insulting the president, offences under Turkish law that carry potential prison…
Spanish journalist critical of the government hit with arrest warrant
Vito Quiles has rejected the action as political persecution.
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‘Abuse’ threshold in new conversion therapy bill worries free speech campaigners in the UK
Under the proposed legislation, only conduct that meets the definition of "abusive" could amount to an offence.
Rome censorship: Exhibitors must sign a certificate of political purity before book fair
Paper First will no longer exhibit at Più Libri Più Liberi, Rome's annual fair dedicated to small and independent publishers.
Balázs Orbán leaves MCC as Hungary’s new government targets Fidesz-era foundations
Hungary's largest conservative foundation faces losing its independence under Péter Magyar's reforms, prompting its chairman to step down in protest.
Musk makes banned migration-themed film ‘Citizen Vigilante’ free to watch on X
The controversy over the film began after Germany's film ratings authority, the FSK, refused to grant it an age classification.
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Tusk tries to silence Polish whistleblower doctor who said patients died as result of ruling party mismanagement
Polish Prime Minister had said he was not going to get involved in disputes between doctors.
Tusk calls killing of anti-Putin Russian artist in Poland a political murder
The artist, who worked under the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky and whose real name was Robert Kuzovkov, was shot dead on June 15 in Biała Podlaska.
Ex-chair of UK’s media watchdog slams progressives over urge to stifle free speech
The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from former Ofcom insiders and academics.
French media regulator again goes after conservative channel CNews
The decision follows a complaint lodged by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in January concerning broadcasts from March 2025.
Court of Appeal upholds Palestine Action terror ban as prosecutions resume
It was the British Government's decision to ban the protest group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.
British government confirms social media ban for all under-16s
Starmer said the measure was necessary to protect children from what he described as the harmful effects of social media.
‘Anti-fascist certificate’ for publishers ahead of Rome book fair sparks censorship row
Meloni accused organisers of introducing a discriminatory criterion for participation and warned against the use of political labels.