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The Latest Breaking News from Freedom House

Does the World Cup favor democratic or autocratic nations? I did some number crunching to find out

It is often said – by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and many others – that soccer is the “most democratic sport.” That sentiment is based in large part on the sport’s global appeal and long history of popularity across class and racial lines.

The Conversation

Turkish democracy on trial: how Erdoğan’s rule has undermined justice and weakened his rivals

There has been unrest across Turkey after an appeals court annulled the results of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) 2023 leadership election, deposing the popular winner Özgür Özel.

The Conversation

Barnes & Noble CEO clarifies the bookseller’s stance on AI-written books after refusing to ban them: ‘This is a straightforward rejection of AI books’

James Daunt told Fortune the responsibility to decide on what AI-generated means lies with the publisher, not the seller.

Fortune

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Authoritarians, strongmen and dictators: who is on Trump’s Board of Peace?

Representatives of repressive regimes from around the world are flying to Washington for the inaugural meeting of the body

The Guardian - UK

Fact check: International data on ‘online comments’ arrests not comparable

Figures shared online could range from data on Russian prosecutions in 2017 to freedom of information requests in England and Wales for 2023.

Evening Standard

Thanks To Trump, America Is Reportedly Moving In The Direction Of 'Autocracy'

Experts and democracy indices say the US is showing measurable signs of autocratisation. Court files, White House directives and watchdog reports detail how policy and prosecutions are reshaping American governance.

International Business Times UK

The 'Free' World Is Coming for Your Private Messages

Nobody expects China or Iran to protect privacy. But as seen in the European debate over chat control, even nominally free countries are becoming intrusive when it comes to the digital world.

Reason

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Global internet freedoms deteriorated (again) in 2025 - Germany, Georgia & US lost ground

According to Freedom House, the internet is more controlled and manipulated than ever before. And democracies aren't immune.

TechRadar

Venezuela's Maduro Claims TikTok and Instagram Are Part of 'Active Conspiracy' Against His Regime

Venezuela's authoritarian 'President Nicolás Maduro accused TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms of participating in what he called an "active conspiracy" and "psychological war" against his regime

Latin Times

From age verification to weakening encryption: 2025 saw a decline in online anonymity everywhere

Internet freedoms have worsened for the 15th consecutive year, according to Freedom House's new report. And VPNs are increasingly a target.

TechRadar

Nepal social media crackdown is part of a global censorship trend, say experts. Do VPNs help?

Global internet freedom declined for the 14th consecutive year last year.

Euronews

Nepal internet crackdown part of global trend toward suppressing online freedom

Nepal’s crackdown on social media companies, which led to protests and police killing at least 19 people Monday, is part of a yearslong decline of internet freedoms around the world as even democracies seek to curtail online speech

The Independent UK

"Authoritarians in the Academy": The Free Speech Recession

When universities are global institutions, the global speech environment matters.

Reason

Hungary: The criticisms, the responses and some facts

An insight into nine of the battlefields on which Viktor Orbán and the European Union are facing off.

Euronews

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Reason

Trump Calls Zelenskyy a 'Dictator' but Not Putin. Does He Know What a Dictator Is?

He calls Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator,” but not Vladimir Putin.

The Conversation

Saudi Arabia has big AI ambitions. They could come at the cost of human rights

This week, on his tour of the Middle East, United States President Donald Trump unveiled a suite of new deals with Saudi Arabia.

Radio France Internationale

Global freedom in decline with setbacks in Africa, the US and the far right in Europe

The 2025 report from the Freedom House think-tank has highlighted a continued, worldwide decline in freedom, with authoritarian regimes on the rise and tightening their grip.

The Guardian - UK

China tops list of countries trying to silence exiled dissidents over past decade, study shows

Russia, Turkey and Egypt also among worst perpetrators of transnational repression around the globe

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The Conversation

I study democracy worldwide − here’s how Texas is eroding human rights, free expression and civil liberties

While concerns about the future of American democracy dominate headlines worldwide, millions of Texans are already seeing a rapid decline in democratic standards.

The Conversation

What another Lukashenko ‘victory’ will mean for Europe’s security – and that of Belarus’ citizenry

Europe’s longest-serving authoritarian leader, Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko, is set to run for a seventh term on Jan. 26, 2025. And even before the first vote is counted, it can be stated with a fair degree of confidence that he will prevail.

The Guardian - UK

‘They want to show no one can escape’: how the long arm of Russia is reaching out for Putin critics in exile

Moscow is using ties with neighbouring countries to deport and arrest anti-war Russians who fled after invasion of Ukraine

The Guardian - AU

Democracy won the 20th century. But has its success bred lethal complacency in the 21st?

We never know who is going to rule but the beauty of democracy is that we know we can always get rid of them. So why wouldn’t we fight like blazes to preserve it?

The Conversation

Foreign countries are helping autocracies repress exiled dissidents in return for economic gain

Governments, even democratic ones, are willing to aid autocracies in silencing exiled dissidents if the host nation thinks it’s in its economic interest.

The Conversation

Human rights advocate Alexander Lapshin: No place to go, but still fighting for global freedom

Global freedom has been in decline for nearly two decades, according to Freedom House, an American non-profit organization devoted to supporting democracy around the world.

The Conversation

Autocratic nations are reaching across borders to silence critics – and so far nothing seems to stop them

Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati survived an assassination attempt outside his home in Wimbledon, south London, in late March 2024. Eighteen months earlier, the London-based independent television channel Iran International, for which Zeraati worked, had temporarily relocated to Washington DC over threats that they believe come from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards…

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