Independent UN human rights investigators warn that 19 US states have introduced bills to curb free expression and the right to protest since the presidential election, and call this an “alarming and undemocratic” trend. ProPublica, The New York Times, and AP quickly team up to request and post White House staff financial disclosures forms. Google is teaching computers to understand what’s offensive as advertisers revolt against placement next to extremist videos, while a newspaper’s app is hacked to push out false news alerts.
 -Dru Menaker, Chief Operating Officer

DARE: Daily Alert on Rights and Expression

PEN America’s take on today’s most pressing threats to free expression

U.S.

Americans’ right to protest is in grave danger under Trump, United Nations warns
The right to protest is fundamental to American democracy. The country was born, after all, out of decades of civil disobedience. But according to United Nations human rights investigators, this very basic principle is under attack.
THE WASHINGTON POST

The White House Wouldn’t Post Trump Staffers’ Financial Disclosures. So We Did.
Since the White House wasn’t going to post the documents publicly, news outlets did. In partnership with The New York Times and The Associated Press, ProPublica is sharing financial disclosures for everyone to look through, including you.
PROPUBLICA

Google Training Ad Placement Computers to Be Offended
Over the years, Google trained computer systems to keep copyrighted content and pornography off its YouTube service. But after seeing ads appear next to racist, anti-Semitic or terrorist videos, its engineers realized their computer models did not understand context.
NEW YORK TIMES

Hacked New York Post app sends out ‘Heil President’ alert
The New York Post app had been hacked on April Fools’ Day, sending out push alert notifications that included “Heil President Donald Trump.” The Post apologized Saturday night, shortly after its app sent out a series of alerts.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

A judge rules Trump may have incited violence … and Trump again has his own mouth to blame
Judge David J. Hale, a federal judge in Kentucky, ruled against efforts by Trump’s attorneys to throw out a lawsuit accusing him of inciting violence against protesters at a March 2016 campaign rally in Louisville.
THE WASHINGTON POST

 
Global

Mexican newspaper closes citing insecurity for journalists
A newspaper in the Mexican border city of Juarez announced Sunday that it is shutting down because the rampant, unpunished killings of journalists in the country have made it too dangerous to go on.
ASSOCAITED PRESS

Facing Death Threats And A Ban On His Novel, A Palestinian Author Flees
Abbad Yahya, a 28-year-old Palestinian novelist, is in exile after the Palestinian Authority banned his latest book, Crime in Ramallah, calling it indecent. Particular offense was taken to a gay character in the book who, in one scene, seems to be defiling the memory of a late Palestinian leader.
NPR

Security Is Still Gagging Sudanese Press
Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) is still harassing journalists and columnists, says Mujahed Abdallah, one of the three journalists who are currently banned from publishing.
RADIO DABANGA

Tanzania’s president is trying to force the media to shut up, listen and be nice
Tanzanian president John Magufuli has not only suppressed the opposition but also hobbled press freedom by routinely threatening to shut down media houses for “inflammatory” reporting rather than focusing on development issues.
QUARTZ

The Hungarian government’s war on free speech
The Central European University – a Hungarian-US accredited private institution based in Budapest and a recognized contributor to Hungarian and international research, has been the target of an increasingly hostile attitude from the Hungarian authorities over the past months.
OPEN DEMOCRACY

DARE is a project of PEN America’s #LouderTogether campaign, bringing you a daily-curated roundup of the most important free expression-related news from the U.S. and abroad. Send your feedback and story suggestions to [email protected]