Russian Social Media Platform Threatens Free Expression
The acquisition of Russia’s most popular social network by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin puts another nail in the coffin for free expression in the country. More
PEN America Welcomes Introduction of Platform Accountability and Transparency Act
Senators Chris Coons, Amy Klobuchar, and Rob Portman yesterday introduced the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act, which would shine a light on the inner workings of big tech platforms… More
Shielding Users From Online Abuse: A Free Speech-Conscious Approach to Fighting Harassment
There's no reason why social media platforms can't create a shield that treats online abuse like toxic spam, filtering it out and quarantining it for review. More
The PEN Pod: On the Arrest of Raman Pratasevich and Free Speech on Social Media
“This disturbing trend of reaching across borders to nab people that regimes see as a threat. . . [is] a new demonstration of how far these governments are willing… More
The PEN Pod: Online Abuse and the Threat it Poses to Free Speech with Viktorya Vilk
“If we’re serious about fighting online abuse, everybody’s going to have to get involved. We need to train people to defend themselves. We also need allies to step in… More
The PEN Pod: On Conflicts of Interest between Free Expression and Powerful Institutions with Suzanne Nossel
“The most heartening piece of it is that the people of Myanmar, who for so many years lived under such brutal repression. . . They’re incredibly brave to take… More
Facebook, Twitter, and the World’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park
Writer and PEN America Trustee Jennifer Finney Boylan draws a connection between Facebook, Twitter, and the world’s most dangerous amusement park. More
The PEN Pod: The Propagation of Disinformation and Protocols of Protest with Suzanne Nossel
“It’s an ecosystem—a dysfunctional, polluted ecosystem. Within that ecosystem, among the most powerful actors—no question about it—are the social media companies.” More
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Bots appeared to target not just the most prominent feminist accounts, but also users with smaller followings who had engaged with Iranian feminists’ content by liking, posting, or sharing it. https://www.codastory.com/newsletters/iran-activists-instagram-protests/
We share @L4L_INT & others’ grave concerns for #XuZhiyong and #DingJiaxi’s human rights amid their arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, torture, and closed-door trials. China must immediately release Xu and Ding, who both face life in prison on sham “subversion” charges.
