Chilling

• Meta’s Oversight Board released a 39-page report investigating "censorship-by-proxy," where foundation LLMs may be restricting content critical of speech-restrictive political regimes and their leaders. • The research examines whether AI outputs are improperly reflecting national laws that outlaw government criticism, effectively extending a regime's restrictive reach beyond its own geographic borders. • This phenomenon matters because it suggests that AI models may be enforcing illegitimate speech restrictions globally, potentially chilling political dissent and limiting information access.

Ex-officials ask FCC to reject petitions to deny renewal of broadcast licenses for eight stations owned by ABCA group of prominent former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials, including key staffers and commissioners appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents, issued a filing Tuesday that warns the agency is trying to send a “chilling message” to broadcasters after it received petitions to deny ABC license renewals for eight of its local television stations.The network’s licenses are up for early renewal after an extremely unusual order from the Brendan Carr-led FCC in late April, following criticism of ABC by Donald Trump and Melania Trump. Continue reading...

CBA chair says contempt charge over closing speech by Rajiv Menon KC has left lawyers fearful of doing their jobThe prosecution of a leading human rights barrister for contempt of court over his closing speech during a trial of Palestine Action activists has left lawyers fearful of doing their job, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has said.Rajiv Menon KC is due to stand trial next week, accused of breaching the judge’s directions in the trial of six people for a 2024 direct action protest at an arms factory of the Israeli subsidiary Elbit Systems UK in Filton, near Bristol. Continue reading...

Mark Rowley defends officers who arrested suspect in Wednesday’s incident and calls on Green party leader to show solidarity The Metropolitan police chief has said that Green party leader Zack Polanski sharing a post about the arrest of the Golders Green terror suspect will have a “chilling effect”.Met officers arrested a 45-year-old man after two Jewish people were stabbed in the suburb of north-west London on Wednesday. Police said the suspect was shot with a stun gun to subdue him. Continue reading...

Animal Aid says reclassification of research facilities as key infrastructure could catch even most peaceful actionA charity has filed a legal challenge over a “chilling” change in the law that restricts protest outside animal testing facilities in England and Wales by reclassifying them as “key national infrastructure”.Animal Aid says last month’s amendment to the Public Order Act could capture even the most peaceful, non‑disruptive advocacy. It claims the change is unlawful because it goes beyond parliament’s intention at the time the act was passed. Continue reading...

Corporation’s lawyers argue expensive but ‘groundless’ litigation restricts ability to cover public figuresThe BBC has asked a US court to throw out Donald Trump’s $10bn (£7.5bn) lawsuit over the way a documentary edited one of his speeches, warning that proceeding with the case would have a “chilling effect” on its reporting on the president.In papers filed to the Florida court dealing with the case, the BBC’s US lawyers claimed Trump’s reputation had not been damaged by the documentary, given it aired in the UK a week before his re-election. Continue reading...