In a series of Truth Social posts, Trump attacked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, offered a sarcastic Christmas greeting to his political opponents, and condemned President Biden’s clemency for 37 death row inmates. He also shared a meme mocking Barack Obama and promoted his nominees for FBI Director and Secretary of Defense. The posts showcased his characteristic self-victimization and attacks on perceived enemies.
Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly addressed Elon Musk’s endorsement of the far-right AfD party, characterizing Musk’s statement as an example of exercising free speech while simultaneously delivering politically unsound advice. Scholz’s comments, made alongside the Estonian Prime Minister, acknowledged Musk’s right to express his opinions but underscored the questionable nature of his endorsement of the AfD.
The Chancellor’s response came swiftly after Musk’s post on X, formerly Twitter, asserting that only the AfD could “save Germany.” This wasn’t the first instance of friction between the two figures; Musk previously referred to Scholz as a “fool” following the collapse of Germany’s three-way coalition government.… Continue reading
Effective January 1st, Pornhub will cease operations in Florida due to a new age verification law requiring users to provide government ID. This law, similar to those enacted in other states, mandates anonymous age verification for websites deemed to contain material harmful to minors, a definition criticized for its ambiguity and potential for censorship. Pornhub argues that this method is overly intrusive and less effective than device-based verification, and its withdrawal from Florida follows similar actions in other states where the company reports a significant drop in traffic and a migration to unregulated sites. The Free Speech Coalition opposes these laws, citing privacy concerns and their potential to create a chilling effect on free speech.
Donald Trump filed a civil lawsuit against the Des Moines Register, pollster J. Ann Selzer, and their respective parent companies, alleging “brazen election interference” due to a pre-election poll showing him trailing. The suit stems from Selzer’s poll predicting a three-point deficit for Trump in Iowa, which he ultimately won by fourteen points. Trump claims the poll was fraudulent and constituted election interference, a claim Selzer denies. This action follows a recent defamation lawsuit settlement with ABC News and is part of Trump’s broader strategy to target perceived media adversaries.
Following a defamation lawsuit settlement with ABC News, Donald Trump announced plans to file further suits against media outlets. His target includes the Des Moines Register due to a poll that underestimated his electoral support in Iowa, despite his actual victory margin. This action, coupled with existing lawsuits against other news organizations, reflects Trump’s declared war on what he deems a corrupt press. Critics fear this emboldens him to further stifle media criticism and sets a concerning precedent for future legal battles.
Donald Trump’s presidency is feared to bring widespread suppression of free speech and criminalization of dissent, leveraging the Espionage Act. This World War I-era law, rarely used against spies, has been weaponized against whistleblowers revealing government misconduct under both previous administrations. Trump’s own indictment under this act, coupled with his administration’s aggressive use against journalists and leakers, sets a dangerous precedent. The Act’s secretive procedures, including pre-trial hearings in SCIFs, hinder transparency and due process. This, combined with the Biden administration’s failure to curtail its use, creates a significant threat to press freedom.
Following a dispute over an insurance claim denial, Briana Boston, 42, threatened a Blue Cross Blue Shield representative using the phrase “delay, deny, depose,” the same words found on bullet casings at the murder scene of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Police say Boston admitted to using the phrase due to its recent media prominence, further stating that insurance companies are “evil” and deserve retribution. Boston has been arrested and charged with threatening to conduct an act of terrorism, a second-degree felony carrying a potential 15-year prison sentence.
Briana Boston, 42, was arrested and charged with threatening a mass shooting after using the phrase “delay, deny, depose” during a phone call with BlueCross BlueShield. This phrase mirrored words found at the scene of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thomas’s murder, prompting the FBI to refer the call to Lakeland Police. Boston claimed the phrase was related to news coverage of the CEO’s death, denying any intent to harm. Despite this, a judge set her bond at $100,000, citing current national climate, amidst rising copycat threats against other insurance executives.
Elon Musk’s X platform’s objection to the sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to the satirical news outlet, The Onion, centered around the ownership of Infowars’ X accounts. This objection, surprisingly, wasn’t about the content itself, but rather about X’s assertion of ownership over all accounts on its platform. The argument boiled down to a claim that users don’t actually own their accounts; X does. Therefore, these accounts couldn’t be transferred as part of the Infowars sale.
This assertion of ownership raises significant concerns about the future of X and the implications for other users. If X truly owns all accounts, then users have essentially leased a space on the platform, rather than owning their online presence.… Continue reading
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Matt Underwood