The hottest Censorship Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

Major Social Media Clampdowns Coming

DARK FUTURA • 1533 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🌍 World Politics Censorship
  1. Major social media clampdowns are expected due to recent events sparking increased monitoring by the Pentagon.
  2. Global governments are tightening control over social media and the internet under the guise of anti-disinformation campaigns, limiting free speech.
  3. There is a close fusion between big tech, social media, and intelligence agencies, raising concerns about who truly controls information policies.

Martin Gurri: Make America Debate Again. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1929 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Trump is taking a tough stance in foreign policy, like imposing tariffs on Colombia after a standoff over deported migrants. This new approach marks a change from the previous administration's methods.
  2. The discussion around the origins of COVID-19 has shifted, with intelligence now suggesting a lab leak might be more likely. This shows that long-suppressed debates are starting to resurface.
  3. The fight over foreign policy direction in the Trump administration continues with key staffing choices at the Pentagon. These decisions will impact how the U.S. engages with the world.

New: Shocking From Taibbi

FOIA Around And Find Out • 1493 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Some Twitter accounts were banned without a clear explanation, leading to suspicion of being flagged for political reasons.
  2. State Department officials requested Twitter to remove accounts based on claims of being Russian-controlled, without concrete evidence.
  3. The situation raises concerns about information warfare and the targeting of accounts for sharing content related to Russiagate or Hunter Biden.

Amazon Is Censoring My Most Recent Magazine Issue

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2025 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Amazon blocked a magazine issue without explaining why, but later reversed its decision after some noise was made. It's important to pay attention to how platforms handle free speech.
  2. There's skepticism about a recent fake incident of antisemitism in Sydney, showing the need to question narratives we hear, especially related to politics and social issues.
  3. Being happy and staying informed can go hand in hand. Facing truths in life leads to true happiness, rather than avoiding painful feelings.
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Special Livestream at 1 p.m. ET: On the Ongoing Global Engagement Center Saga

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1885 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. There's a special livestream discussing the Global Engagement Center and how it relates to State Department censorship. It's good to stay informed about these current events.
  2. Both hosts have faced some scrutiny from the Global Engagement Center due to their reporting. It's interesting how investigative journalism can sometimes attract unwanted attention.
  3. A watchdog group has filed a lawsuit seeking information on the GEC's actions against journalists. This highlights the ongoing tension between government transparency and media freedom.

This Week in Canada: A Walk in the Woods Might Cost You $28,872.50

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 584 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Land acknowledgments in Canada are gaining more legal weight, potentially leading to eviction notices for non-Indigenous landowners. This means that Indigenous groups might reclaim lands they believe are rightfully theirs.
  2. Recent court rulings have validated Indigenous land claims, which can now supersede private property rights in areas like British Columbia. This affects not just government land, but also land owned by non-Indigenous Canadians.
  3. The situation in Canada is evolving, as Indigenous groups are increasingly asserting their rights over ancestral lands, prompting legal and social challenges for non-Indigenous property owners.

Legacy Media is an Antiquated, Obsolete Relic

DARK FUTURA • 1395 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
📰 News Censorship
  1. Legacy media is becoming outdated and irrelevant in the face of democratized citizen journalism.
  2. The internet has revolutionized news delivery, allowing direct access to information and challenging traditional media sources.
  3. Legacy media is resorting to censorship and biased reporting to maintain control over the narrative as their power diminishes.

Listen! Missouri vs. Biden in Court

COVID Reason • 2002 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Missouri vs. Biden involves a lawsuit regarding censorship.
  2. The court transcript describes the White House pressuring book publishers to burn books that criticize the administration.
  3. The platforms complied with the White House's demands, including deplatforming specific speakers like Alex Baronson and Tucker Carlson.

Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for deceptively editing his 6 January speech. Maybe he should also go after the German public broadcasters who did exactly the same thing

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 195 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. The BBC aired a documentary that misrepresented Trump's speech on January 6, making it seem more inciting than it was. They later apologized and acknowledged their editing mistake.
  2. Trump is considering suing the BBC for defamation and has suggested others, like German broadcasters, should also be held accountable for similar deceptive edits.
  3. The German public broadcaster's documentary also edited Trump's words misleadingly but insists their version aligns with journalistic standards, showing a lack of remorse for the edits.

Google Censors are Still Waging the Transgender Culture War

Handwaving Freakoutery • 690 implied HN points • 10 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Google can censor information by removing articles that go against their policies, especially on sensitive topics like transgender issues. This shows how big tech can influence discussions by limiting access to certain viewpoints.
  2. There are ongoing debates about the impact of transgender medical treatments on minors, with concerns over whether such decisions may lead to regret later in life. It's important to weigh the risks and benefits carefully.
  3. Recent court decisions suggest that beliefs held by many about the necessity of medical transitions for youth may lack scientific backing. This raises questions about the assumptions driving these discussions.

German police raid a libertarian's home for the crime of calling civil servants "parasites," advise him to "Think carefully about what you post in future"

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 215 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. A German man was raided by police for calling government workers 'parasites' on social media. This shows how seriously some countries take speech related to the government.
  2. The police not only confiscated his phone but also subjected him to detailed identification procedures. This indicates a harsh approach to regulating online speech.
  3. The police warned him to be careful about what he posts in the future, suggesting ongoing surveillance and control over free speech. This highlights concerns about freedom of expression in Germany.

The Censors’ Henchmen

COVID Reason • 1963 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Censorship is about denying citizens access to information.
  2. The Censorship Industrial Complex involves powerful government agencies, NGOs, and corporations.
  3. Government officials like Rob Flaherty have suppressed free speech for political power.

Meta Pivots on Content Moderation

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1702 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Censorship
  1. Meta, the company behind Facebook, is changing how it moderates content. They want to focus more on free speech and go against past practices of heavy censorship.
  2. Mark Zuckerberg admits that past fact-checking efforts were often biased and sometimes led to the wrongful censorship of innocent posts or accounts.
  3. The new plan includes bringing back voices from the community and updating rules to allow more speech. However, there's a need for transparency about past mistakes and a way to fix them.

How the U.S. Government Controls Ukrainian Media

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1465 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🌍 World Politics Censorship
  1. A lot of the 'independent' media in Ukraine is funded by USAID, which means American taxpayer money is being used in ways that some might not expect.
  2. When a journalist exposed government abuse in Ukraine, other media outlets published negative stories about him instead of covering the attack he filmed, showing a lack of support for independent journalism.
  3. This situation highlights how independent media can be influenced by government interests, which can lead to misinformation and a suppression of truth.

Josh and Leslie Elliott on "The Radical Center"

Disaffected Newsletter • 699 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Leslie Elliott was training to be a psychotherapist but got cancelled for her views on therapy that didn't align with woke beliefs.
  2. The discussion will be about the concept of the 'Radical Center', which suggests finding common ground amidst extreme viewpoints.
  3. People interested in the topic can watch the premiere online at the specified time to learn more about these ideas.

Let My WSJ Subscription Lapse

Points And Figures • 1412 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. The quality of the Wall Street Journal has declined over time, making it hard to find unbiased information.
  2. Many readers prefer in-depth, objective stories rather than quick online news and basic information.
  3. Younger writers often lack proper journalism training, which affects the quality of reports they produce.

First Brick in the Firewall? Taiwan Blocks RedNote

Taipology • 107 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Taiwan has blocked the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu over fraud concerns, surprising many users. This creates a sense of irony as Taiwanese netizens now need to use a VPN to access a platform they once made fun of.
  2. The ban on Xiaohongshu is viewed as an attempt by the ruling DPP to control the digital landscape, similar to China's methods. People question how blocking an apolitical app supports democracy and freedom.
  3. Users are worried about the future of online freedom in Taiwan, as more Chinese apps might be targeted next. This could lead to greater backlash, especially if popular e-commerce platforms are affected.

There's Probably Nothing We Can Do About This Awful Deepfake Porn Problem

Freddie deBoer • 4238 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Censorship
  1. In the age of the internet, censoring content is extremely challenging because of the global spread of digital infrastructure.
  2. Efforts to stop the spread of harmful content like deepfake porn may not be entirely successful due to the structure of the modern internet.
  3. Acknowledging limitations in controlling information dissemination doesn't equate to a lack of will to address concerning issues.

Memory-Hole Archive: Cancel Culture and Free Expression

American Dreaming • 400 implied HN points • 18 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. From 2014 to 2023, progressive movements showed strong hostility toward free speech, leading to what many call 'cancel culture.' This made people scared to express differing opinions.
  2. Many people across various sectors, from celebrities to ordinary workers, faced serious consequences like job loss for speaking against the dominant social justice ideas, even if their intentions were good.
  3. Attempts to change language to fit social justice goals often backfired, showing that many people don't agree with these changes and raising concerns about censorship and the freedom of expression.

Transcript - America This Week, Jan 24, 2025: Walter and Matt Review Donald Trump’s Executive Orders

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1250 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Donald Trump signed many executive orders after taking office, focusing on various controversial topics. Some were surprising to see, especially those related to free speech and censorship.
  2. The significance of these executive orders is that they reflect concerns about government influence on speech and media. Past discussions about free speech became formal actions, which was unexpected for some.
  3. Many people contributed to the push for free speech and accountability in media, including activists and politicians. Their efforts showed that public concern can lead to actual changes in policy.

What Happened When I Asked Michael Shellenberger To Defend His Journalism

Singal-Minded • 1628 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Michael Shellenberger, known for his views on free speech, called for the government to revoke NBC's broadcasting license, which raises questions about his journalistic integrity.
  2. His claims about NBC breaking election laws were based on misinterpretations and lacked solid evidence, showing a drift into conspiracy thinking.
  3. The situation highlights how personal politics can distort professional standards, making it hard to trust someone's reporting if they confuse facts and emotions.

When to Suppress Speech

Fake Noûs • 389 implied HN points • 09 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Suppressing speech can sometimes seem necessary, especially if it's harmful or based on lies. However, there's a big risk that the people doing the suppressing might be wrong.
  2. Avoiding disagreement can make problems worse. When people suppress opposing views, it often leads to those views becoming more extreme and people becoming more isolated in their beliefs.
  3. Engaging with harsh or unreasonable ideas through conversation can lead to positive change. Real dialogue helps challenge hate and bad ideas, rather than silence or suppression.

Department Of Homeland Security Illegally Targeted Covid Dissent, New Documents Suggest

Michael Shellenberger • 1354 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) might have illegally targeted people who disagreed with COVID-19 policies by pushing social media to censor certain opinions.
  2. New documents suggest that DHS started monitoring COVID-related speech as early as February 2020, raising concerns about overstepping its legal boundaries.
  3. This surveillance and censorship might violate laws that restrict government agencies from involving themselves in issues without clear permission from Congress.

The Nazi Cult and the German Speech Police

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 121 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. An American living in Berlin had his home raided by police after publishing a book with a swastika on the cover. This shows how seriously Germany deals with symbols associated with Nazism.
  2. The same individual was previously convicted for sharing the book's cover art on social media. This highlights the strict laws around hate speech and Nazi symbols in Germany.
  3. The situation raises questions about freedom of expression, especially when it conflicts with laws designed to prevent hate speech. It's a complex issue that many people are concerned about.

A BBC Documentary—Brought to You by Hamas

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 950 implied HN points • 25 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. A BBC documentary shows children in Gaza dealing with the impacts of war, highlighting their daily struggles amidst destruction.
  2. One of the main child narrators is actually the son of a Hamas official, which raises questions about the documentary's fairness and objectivity.
  3. The BBC has faced criticism for not revealing important details about its sources, making some people doubt the authenticity of its reporting.

Facebook censors journalist Seymour Hersh's report on Nord Stream pipeline attack

Geopolitical Economy Report • 837 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Censorship
  1. Facebook censored a report by journalist Seymour Hersh on the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, instead directing users to a website funded by a NATO member state, Norway.
  2. The US government and media failed to offer an alternative explanation to Hersh's report on the attacks, despite attempting to undermine his credibility.
  3. Western governments, not just Facebook, have censored Russian and Iranian media outlets, such as RT and Sputnik, as well as seizing the domain of Iran's Press TV.

Revealed: the answer key to your year-end China-watching test

Pekingnology • 67 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25
💾 History Censorship
  1. The official "unity-first" reading of the Ming–Qing transition recasts conquest and violence as internal family friction, which smooths over real historical and ethnic fractures.
  2. Differential policies that favour minorities—like education points, legal leniency, or protected cultural practices—are widely perceived by many Han as unfair sacrifices, and those grievances are helping fuel a rising Han-centred nationalism.
  3. Trying to manage unity by silencing debate or weaponising nationalism is risky, because nationalism can escape control; openly addressing underlying inequalities is necessary to prevent deeper social division.

House Report on EU Censorship and Election Interference

Who is Robert Malone • 12 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. European regulators built a decade-long censorship apparatus—using forums, voluntary codes, and the Digital Services Act—to pressure major tech platforms to change their global content-moderation rules.
  2. Those platform-wide rule changes led to the suppression of lawful political speech, including American content, and regulators actively pushed companies to act ahead of elections, shaping what people could see and say online.
  3. U.S. lawmakers view this extraterritorial pressure as a threat to American free speech and are pursuing legislative steps to protect online speech and national sovereignty.

Hear Me Out: the Anti-Smartphone Thing Is a Grift

Default Wisdom • 296 implied HN points • 21 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Censorship
  1. Banning smartphones in schools is a good idea to help kids focus on learning. However, there's a risk that this leads to broader censorship and control over what people can access online.
  2. The negative effects attributed to smartphones are often exaggerated, and blaming them oversimplifies bigger issues in society. Phones are a part of the problem, but not the only reason for struggles like anxiety and low birth rates.
  3. There's an industry benefiting from the panic over smartphones, as many writers capitalize on the fears of older generations about younger people's behaviors online. This can create a dangerous narrative that supports more authoritarian measures in society.

Pandemic Censorship Spurs Trump Research Nominees and Others to Create “Journal of the Academy of Public Health”

The DisInformation Chronicle • 885 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Censorship
  1. A new journal aims to improve communication in public health and share a variety of expert opinions. This is important since many voices were silenced during the pandemic.
  2. The journal will pay peer reviewers for their work, making the process fairer and more efficient. This could help improve the quality of published research.
  3. By publishing peer reviews alongside articles, the journal hopes to promote openness in scientific discussions. This can help challenge the existing norms and biases in traditional scientific publishing.

President von der Leyen's WEF Speech Shows She Will Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste

THE FREEDOM BLOG • 412 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Censorship
  1. President von der Leyen emphasizes the need for businesses and governments to collaborate in addressing the risks of misinformation and disinformation.
  2. The fight against misinformation should consider that it comes from various sources and political biases, not just easily identified malicious actors.
  3. Caution should be exercised in handing over internet regulation to a political elite, as it may lead to power grabs disguised as cooperation.

How to Use Banned US Models in China

ChinaTalk • 474 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Censorship
  1. In China, U.S. AI models like ChatGPT are mostly banned, but people can still buy access to them online through platforms like Taobao. This shows how censorship can be bypassed and how demand for these tools remains strong.
  2. Sellers on Taobao use various tactics to market and price access to U.S. models, including cheaper options and clever advertising strategies to avoid censorship. They exploit loopholes that let them offer these services at lower prices than official sources.
  3. The grey market for these AI models continues to thrive despite government restrictions. This suggests that the state is more focused on controlling specific models like ChatGPT rather than suppressing all U.S. AI technology, indicating a complex relationship with censorship.

Berenson v. Biden: The Potential and Significance

COVID Reason • 1566 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Journalist Alex Berenson is suing President Biden and others for orchestrating a public-private censorship campaign against him.
  2. Mainstream media has been silent about Berenson's case, highlighting the issue of censorship in the Covid era.
  3. The lawsuit could lead to uncovering significant information about the Covid era, challenging government censorship and the influence of powerful entities.

The Silencing of Kennedy's Most Notable Critic

husseini • 707 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Jared Beck sued the DNC in a landmark lawsuit, but the DNC won the case giving them the power to choose their nominee legally.
  2. Beck believes RFK Jr. is being used to gather support for the establishment, drawing parallels to Bernie Sanders' role.
  3. Beck and his wife were banned from Twitter for challenging the Democratic Party, highlighting issues of censorship and power dynamics.

The Censorship Didn't Start with Colbert, and It Won't Stop There

OK Doomer • 347 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Censorship
  1. Censorship is a growing issue in media, and the cancellation of popular shows like Colbert's reflects how criticism of authority can lead to significant consequences. It's important to realize that these actions can set a dangerous precedent for the future.
  2. Late-night television might provide some needed criticism of power, but it can also serve as a distraction that prevents real social change. It's like a safety valve that lets out steam without actually solving bigger problems.
  3. To counter the effects of censorship, we need to create independent media that isn't controlled by wealthy interests. Having diverse sources of information is crucial for a healthy society, especially in times of tension and uncertainty.