Banned books Week – On September 28, 2024, we’re asking everyone to get ready to vote for the freedom to read or to take at least one action to help defend books from censorship and to stand up for the library staff, educators, writers, publishers, and booksellers who make them available! Show us how you’re taking action on social media by using the hashtags #LetFreedomReadDay and #BannedBooksWeek! And don’t forget: Censorship won’t stop just because Banned Books Week does — you can take action any day of the year! Bookmark this page for future reference.
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Category Archives: Free Speech
Gen Z’s Guide To Project 2025
Voters of Tomorrow: This isn’t the future Gen Z asked for. “Gen Z knows what kind of a future we want to build. We want a future where we can afford basic living costs, live free of the burdens of overwhelming student loan debt, have the freedom to make the reproductive healthcare choices that are… Continue Reading
Big publishers think libraries are the enemy
citation needed, Molly White – Big publishers think libraries are the enemy. The recent Second Circuit decision in Hachette v. Internet Archive is only the latest battle in the war on libraries and the freedom to read: “I’ve seen quips to the effect of “if public libraries were invented today, they’d be outlawed.” The joke… Continue Reading
Omnipresent AI cameras will ensure good behavior
Ars Technica: “On Thursday, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison shared his vision for an AI-powered surveillance future during a company financial meeting, reports Business Insider. During an investor Q&A, Ellison described a world where artificial intelligence systems would constantly monitor citizens through an extensive network of cameras and drones, stating this would ensure both police and… Continue Reading
Is the press ‘sanewashing’ Trump?
Columbia Journalism Review: “There’s a hot new term doing the rounds among media critics: “sanewashing.” The term itself actually isn’t new, and it wasn’t born in media-criticism circles, per se; according to Urban Dictionary, it was coined in 2020 on a Reddit page for neoliberals (which Linda Kinstler wrote about recently for CJR), and meant… Continue Reading
How the quiet war against press freedom could come to America
Opinion – Washington Post – By A.G. Sulzberger/New York Times [free link]: Some foreign leaders have ruthlessly curtailed journalism. U.S. politicians could draw from their playbook. “After several years out of power, the former leader is returned to office on a populist platform. He blames the news media’s coverage of his previous government for costing… Continue Reading
From School Librarian to Activist: ‘The Hate Level and the Vitriol Is Unreal’
The New York Times: “One Sunday morning two years ago, Amanda Jones, a middle school librarian in Watson, La., woke up and saw an email on her phone that left her shaking and breathless. The expletive-laced message from a stranger accused her of being a pedophile and a groomer, and concluded with a threat: “You… Continue Reading
Field Guide to Police Surveillance
“Welcome to the Field Guide to Police Surveillance. EFF’s Street-Level Surveillance project shines a light on the surveillance technologies that law enforcement agencies routinely deploy in our communities. These resources are designed for advocacy organizations, journalists, defense attorneys, policymakers, and members of the public who often are not getting the straight story from police representatives… Continue Reading
In November 2024, everything is at stake
“The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate. That’s a quote from Thomas Jefferson, and it’s super-relevant to our situation today. Our schools aren’t doing enough to create an educated electorate, and most of our journalists are doing a terrible job. This is terrifying, because the 2024 elections could be the… Continue Reading
The Man Behind Project 2025’s Most Radical Plans
ProPublica: The Man Behind Project 2025’s Most Radical Plans – As Donald Trump tried to disavow the politically toxic project, its director, Paul Dans, stepped down. But the plans and massive staffing database that he prepared — to replace thousands of members of the “deep state” with MAGA loyalists — remain…But then again, his resignation… Continue Reading
Most Americans say a free press is highly important to society
“A large majority of Americans see the freedom of the press as highly important to the well-being of society. But many express concerns about potential restrictions on press freedoms in the United States – and say that political and financial interests already have a lot of influence on news organizations. These findings come from a… Continue Reading
Louisiana Bill Would Criminalize Librarians, Libraries Who Join American Library Association
Bookriot: “Despite the fact that librarians are among the most trusted professionals, per data acquired in several studies of parents on the perceptions of the profession, lawmakers across the country continue to infantilize and criminalize library workers. The 2024 legislative session has been particularly eager to capitalize on the rhetoric from the far right on… Continue Reading
