Global Censorship Requires a Global Response

Governments across the world are imposing and enforcing laws to silence free expression, and even free thought.

Increasingly, we are seeing not only the failure to protect free speech, but also the introduction of measures by the state to actively silence and sanction free expression.

Learn more about these cases to see how ADF International is standing against global censorship:

World Map

Breaking News

1

“Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.” – Billboard Chris01:20
2

🚨 This is a WIN more than 15 years in the making.01:01
3
"Free speech, I fear, is in retreat."
“Free speech, I fear, is in retreat.”01:04
4

This isn’t free speech. This is control.01:35
5

Are Draconian Blasphemy Laws Returning to the West?01:37
6

Has Britain reached rock bottom yet?01:35
7

🤫 🤐 What if the government could silence your voice online without explanation?01:41
8

Breaking News with Paul Coleman: Zuckerberg/Meta/Censorship02:36
9

Breaking News with Paul Coleman: A Win for Religious Freedom in Nigeria02:42
10

Breaking News with Paul Coleman: Pushing Back Against Dangerous Gender Ideology02:41

Governments should focus on protecting speech, not squashing it

Freedom of speech is a prerequisite for a free society, and a fundamental human right guaranteed by every major human rights treaty. Upholding this right is essential for the protection of all of our human rights.

State-driven censorship fuels cancel culture and a climate of fear. Once the state starts censoring “unpopular” speech, there is no logical stopping point.

Without free speech, every human right is imperiled

While laws that punish speech often impose different punishments and occur in different contexts, the foundation is often very similar. For example, blasphemy laws and “hate speech” laws are both state-driven censorship grounded in the idea that some words are simply too offensive to be heard.

In a free society, ideas should be challenged with ideas, not censorship

As international human rights advocates with deep expertise in defending the right to free speech, ADF International is uniquely positioned to address the escalating censorship crisis in Brazil.

Our work focuses on the international institutions – including the Organization of American States – which were set up to ensure states respect their human rights commitments.

In Brazil, our work includes petitioning the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to intervene and protect the fundamental right to free speech in Brazil, holding the state to account for violating its international legal obligations.

Latest News

May 4, 2025

As Albanese claims electoral victory, U.S. State Dept warns Australia: Don’t censor free speech on 𝕏

U.S. State Dept. “deeply concerned” about foreign censorship on U.S. social media platforms – including Australia’s censorship of Canadian campaigner “Billboard Chris” (Chris Elston) Elston legally challenged the Australian eSafety Commissioner for
Read More

More Resources

CENSORED: How European “Hate Speech” Laws are Threatening Free Speech

Paul Coleman, ADF International Executive Director

Order Your Copy Now

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

A Guide to Understanding

The Digital Services Act

Oops! We could not locate your form.