Free Speech

The online world offers the promise of speech with minimal barriers and without borders. New technologies and widespread internet access have radically enhanced our ability to express ourselves; criticize those in power; gather and report the news; and make, adapt, and share creative works. Vulnerable communities have also found space to safely meet, grow, and make themselves heard without being drowned out by the powerful. The ability to freely exchange ideas also benefits innovators, who can use all of their capabilities to build even better tools for their communities and the world. In the U.S., the First Amendment grants individuals the right to speak without government interference. And globally, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects the right to speak both online and offline. Everyone should be able to take advantage of this promise. And no government should have the power to decide who gets to speak and who doesn’t. Government threats to online speakers are significant. Laws and policies have enabled censorship regimes, controlled access to information, increased government surveillance, and minimized user security and safety. At the same time, online speakers’ reliance on private companies that facilitate their speech has grown considerably. Online services’ content moderation decisions have far-reaching impacts on speakers around the world. This includes social media platforms and online sites selectively enforcing their Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and similar rules to censor dissenting voices and contentious ideas. That’s why these services must ground their moderation decisions in human rights and due process principles. As the law and technology develops alongside our ever-evolving world, it’s important that these neither create nor reinforce obstacles to people’s ability to speak, organize, and advocate for change. Both the law and technology must enhance people’s ability to speak. That’s why EFF fights to protect free speech - because everyone has the right to share ideas and experiences safely, especially when we disagree.

Free Speech Topics

●Content Blocking ●Export Controls ●Age Verification and Age Gating: Resource Hub ●Anonymity ●Big Tech ●Blogger and Other Creator Rights ●Community Control of Police Surveillance (CCOPS) ●Corporate Speech Controls ●COVID-19 and Digital Rights ●CyberSLAPP ●Digital Rights and the Black-led Movement Against Police Violence ●Electronic Frontier Alliance ●Financial Censorship ●Government Social Media Blocking ●LGBTQ+ ●No Downtime for Free Speech ●Right to Record ●Section 230 ●Social Media Surveillance ●Speaking Freely ●Wikileaks ●Offline: Imprisoned Bloggers and Technologists

Free Speech Highlights

Deeplinks Blog | November 21, 2011

Free Speech is Only as Strong as the Weakest Link

From Mubarak knocking a country offline by pressuring local ISPs to PayPal caving to political pressure to cut off funding to WikiLeaks, this year has brought us sobering examples of how online speech can be endangered. And it’s not only political speech that is threatened – in the United... Banner Graphic:

Link

Online Censorship

Description: Onlinecensorship.org seeks to encourage social media companies to operate with greater transparency and accountability toward their users as they make decisions that regulate speech. We’re collecting reports from users in an effort to shine a light on what content is taken down, why companies make certain decisions about content, and...

A person holding a megaphone that another person speaks through

Issues

Section 230

47 U.S.C. § 230The Internet allows people everywhere to connect, share ideas, and advocate for change without needing immense resources or technical expertise. Our unprecedented ability to communicate online—on blogs, social media platforms, and educational and cultural platforms like Wikipedia and the Internet Archive—is not an accident. Congress recognized that...

Free Speech Updates

Deeplinks Blog byCindy Cohn | January 26, 2026

EFF Statement on ICE and CBP Violence

In the past year, ICE and CBP have descended into utter lawlessness, repeatedly refusing to exercise or submit to the democratic accountability required by the Constitution and our system of laws. These violations must stop now.

Deeplinks Blog byPaige Collings | January 20, 2026

EFF Joins Internet Advocates Calling on the Iranian Government to Restore Full Internet Connectivity

EFF has joined architects, operators, and stewards of the global internet infrastructure in calling upon authorities in Iran to immediately restore full and unfiltered internet access. We further call upon the international technical community to remain vigilant in monitoring connectivity and to support efforts that ensure the internet remains open...

hands holding a phone showing a heavily censored news article

Deeplinks Blog byJoe Mullin | January 16, 2026

EFF Condemns FBI Search of Washington Post Reporter’s Home

Government invasion of a reporter’s home, and seizure of journalistic materials, is exactly the kind of abuse of power the First Amendment is designed to prevent. It represents the most extreme form of press intimidation. Yet, that’s what happened on Wednesday morning to Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, when ...

Deeplinks Blog byKaren Gullo, Tori Noble | January 16, 2026

EFF to California Appeals Court: First Amendment Protects Journalist from Tech Executive’s Meritless Lawsuit

EFF asked a California appeals court to uphold a lower court’s decision to strike a tech CEO’s lawsuit against a journalist that sought to silence reporting the CEO, Maury Blackman, didn’t like.The journalist, Jack Poulson, reported on Maury Blackman’s arrest for felony domestic violence after receiving a copy of...

A blue hand holding a cellphone showing a verification screen and ACCESS DENIED in the background

Deeplinks Blog byJoe Mullin | January 16, 2026

Congress Wants To Hand Your Parenting to Big Tech

Instead of respecting how most parents guide their kids towards healthy and educational content, KOSMA hands the control panel to Big Tech. That’s right—this bill would take power away from parents, and hand it over to the companies that lawmakers say are the problem.

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