FTC Launches Investigation Into Big Tech Content Moderation Practices

Recent developments highlight the complex challenges surrounding free speech, content moderation, and legal boundaries across various democracies. The FTC's politically charged investigation into alleged 'big tech censorship' is criticized for misunderstanding content moderation's vital role in protecting free speech, with major platforms now favoring conservative viewpoints, which is legally permissible. Meanwhile, cases like Irish rapper Mo Chara's prosecution under UK anti-terrorism laws for displaying a Hezbollah flag underscore tensions between artistic expression, political speech, and national security concerns. In the UK, the harsh sentencing of Lucy Connolly for a racially inflammatory tweet has sparked debate on the proportionality of speech-related punishments, emphasizing the conflict between protecting society and upholding free speech principles. Similarly, the arrest and subsequent interim relief for Indian academic Ali Khan Mahmudabad reveal judicial struggles to balance freedom of expression with national interests, as courts scrutinize potentially provocative speech without outright curtailing rights. These cases collectively illustrate the ongoing global discourse on defining the limits of free speech amid rising political sensitivities and digital platform governance.