Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Free Press

jenna ruddock @ruddock.bsky.social · 7d

the Trump admin just deported an award-winning journalist known for his reporting on ICE and got Apple to block ICE-spotter apps — all while churning out highly-produced social media content from violent ICE raids in Chicago. it’s their media or no media. www.techpolicy.press/amidst-viole...

Amidst Violent Immigration Raids, DHS Turns to Big Tech to Silence Dissent | TechPolicy.Press

Free Press advocacy director Jenna Ruddock says the Trump administration is targeting anyone monitoring its expanding immigration enforcement operations.

www.techpolicy.press

6 110 220

Reposted by Free Press

TheDesk.net @thedesk.net · 2d

Nearly two dozen civil rights and free speech advocacy groups — including the NAACP, the Latino Community Foundation, @freepress.bsky.social and @freedom.press — have endorsed a letter accusing FCC Chairman Brendan Carr of interfering with the First Amendment rights of TV newsrooms.

Free speech groups accuse FCC Chairman Carr of weaponizing agency

Nearly two dozen civil rights and media advocacy groups have accused FCC Chairman Brendan Carr of violating the First Amendment by interfering in news operations.

thedesk.net

2 42 75

Reposted by Free Press

Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 2d

"The FCC has no business interfering in constitutionally protected editorial decisions of licensees, and Brendan Carr is well aware of that," @seth-stern.bsky.social said.

Read the full letter from @nhmc.bsky.social: www.nhmc.org/defendthepre...

1 21 69

Reposted by Free Press

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 3d

"Earlier this week, a Boston judge ruled that the Trump administration has engaged in a campaign to censor students' speech — namely, students voicing support for Palestinian freedom and rights." - @attorneynora.bsky.social via Democracy Now!

WATCH: www.democracynow.org/2025/10/3/ma...

13 15

Reposted by Free Press

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · Sep 5

Trump’s campaign to bring prominent media to heel is something we at the *original* Free Press have documented in detail in our Media Capitulation Index.

Take a look at the updated capitulation rankings for Paramount Global:

www.freepress.net/who-owns-med...

9 18

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 2d

"Apple and Google face no legal obligations to comply with Trump's demands, much less to echo plainly disingenuous narratives when faced with a transparent campaign to target and chill information-sharing about ICE operations." - @ruddock.bsky.social

More from @techpolicypress.bsky.social:

Amidst Violent Immigration Raids, DHS Turns to Big Tech to Silence Dissent | TechPolicy.Press

Free Press advocacy director Jenna Ruddock says the Trump administration is targeting anyone monitoring its expanding immigration enforcement operations.

www.techpolicy.press

2 3

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 2d

Trump has set his sights on anyone monitoring its expanding immigration enforcement operations, and it's turning to Big Tech to help.

Free Press' advocacy director @ruddock.bsky.social explains how the crackdown moves to ban and chill traditional media reporting on the topic, too.

⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

1 7 11

Reposted by Free Press

bergmayer @bergmayer.net · 4d

Apple removing ICEBlock, a legal app for monitoring ICE activity, from its app store at the behest of the federal government mirrors what it has done in other regimes. www.iceblock.app

From IceBlock site: ICEBlock Removed
Following pressure from the Trump administration, Apple has removed ICEBlock from the App Store.
We are incredibly disappointed by Apple's actions. Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move. Apple has claimed they received information from law enforcement that ICEBlock served to harm law enforcement officers. This is patently false.

ICEBlock is no different from crowd sourcing speed traps, which every notable mapping application, including Apple's own Maps app, implements as part of its core services. This is protected speech under the first amendment of the United States Constitution.

We are determined to fight this with everything we have. Our mission has always been to protect our neighbors from the terror this administration continues to reign down on the people of this nation. We will not be deterred. We will not stop. #resist

2 11 19

Reposted by Free Press

Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · 2d

The central figure in Trump's push to silence Kimmel et al is now in full damage control, trying to rewrite the history of what just happened, while offloading onto Democrats blame for his unconstitutional campaign of censorship.

Free Press' @mattfieldwood.bsky.social exposes all of Carr's lies:

Another Carr Wreck

How the current FCC chairman is ignoring the truth about free speech

pressingissues.org

1 26 85

Reposted by Free Press

BlackJew 🏳️‍⚧️ @blackjew.bsky.social · 3d

I worked for @freepress.bsky.social for a short time. Really important work. And I love reclaiming the name from Bari Weiss' sham organization. If you do not like billionaires owning all the ways we get news, Free Press is fighting media consolidation.

Jessica J. González @jgo4justice.bsky.social · 3d

Because I cannot stand even one more pandering LinkedIn message mistaking @freepress.bsky.social for THE Free Press and/or me for CBS sellout Bari Weiss, please read this piece by @timkarr.bsky.social explaining what our Free Press stands for - and against. www.freepress.net/blog/this-fr...

What's in a Name: This Free Press Isn't 'The' Free Press

While Bari Weiss borrowed our name, our two organizations could not be more different. Here’s why.

www.freepress.net

1 8 16

Reposted by Free Press

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · Sep 5

"It’s easy to understand why CBS’ newsroom staff are in full meltdown."

Nepo-billionaire David Ellison's plan to acquire Bari Weiss’ right-leaning outlet The Free Press (not us) isn't about financial gain - it's a signal to the anti-mainstream media crowd that CBS News is being reshaped.

A 🧵...

4 17 25

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 3d

"Earlier this week, a Boston judge ruled that the Trump administration has engaged in a campaign to censor students' speech — namely, students voicing support for Palestinian freedom and rights." - @attorneynora.bsky.social via Democracy Now!

WATCH: www.democracynow.org/2025/10/3/ma...

13 15

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 3d

On Oct 7, @pressfreedom.bsky.social is calling on the international community to speak out against unlawful attacks on journalists in Gaza where hundreds of journalists have been killed (273), injured (152) or imprisoned (92) in the two years since this recent wave of violence began.

Israel-Gaza War - Committee to Protect Journalists

Israel is engaging in the deadliest and most deliberate effort to kill and silence journalists that CPJ has ever documented. Palestinian journalists are being threatened, directly targeted, and murder...

cpj.org

4 7

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 3d

We can assure you that Free Press and Free Press Action has been working to protect communication rights for over 20 years.

We are very much NOT the same as those other folks.

Take a look: www.freepress.net

Home

Media and technology are essential to our democracy. We fight to ensure they’re used for justice.

www.freepress.net

Reposted by Free Press

Jessica J. González @jgo4justice.bsky.social · 4d

The real @freepress.bsky.social will continue fighting against media capitulation to government actors.

Craig Aaron @notaaroncraig.bsky.social · 4d

The real @freepress.bsky.social will never be bought by an Ellison, a Murdoch or a Musk.

act.freepress.net/donate/suppo...

Help Free Press keep up the fight with a donation

Your contribution today powers critical work on digital privacy, disinformation, Net Neutrality and so much more.

act.freepress.net

5 11

Reposted by Free Press

Craig Aaron @notaaroncraig.bsky.social · 4d

The real @freepress.bsky.social will never be bought by an Ellison, a Murdoch or a Musk.

act.freepress.net/donate/suppo...

Help Free Press keep up the fight with a donation

Your contribution today powers critical work on digital privacy, disinformation, Net Neutrality and so much more.

act.freepress.net

5 14

Reposted by Free Press

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 6d

New on @techpolicypress.bsky.social from @freepress.bsky.social advocacy director @ruddock.bsky.social:

Amidst a violent crackdown, the Trump administration has set its sights on anyone monitoring its expanding immigration enforcement operations—and it’s turning to major tech companies to help:

Amidst Violent Immigration Raids, DHS Turns to Big Tech to Silence Dissent | TechPolicy.Press

Free Press advocacy director Jenna Ruddock says the Trump administration is targeting anyone monitoring its expanding immigration enforcement operations.

www.techpolicy.press

3 33 32

Reposted by Free Press

Nora Benavidez @attorneynora.bsky.social · 7d

Mario was simply doing his job as a reporter when police targeted him. He was detained 108+ days, muzzled by the admin. Today, the US govt is deporting him to El Salvador, which he fled for safety reasons. This chilling practice seeks to silence dissent & truth. www.democracynow.org/2025/10/3/ma...

Prominent Atlanta Journalist Faces Deportation After Covering Anti-Trump Protest

The Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara may be deported to El Salvador as soon as today despite holding work authorization in the United States and never having been charged with a crime. Guevar...

www.democracynow.org

1 40 46

Reposted by Free Press

Nora Benavidez @attorneynora.bsky.social · 8d

I will be live tomorrow morning w/ @democracynow.org talking about the state of free speech, press freedom & Mario Guevara, whose freedom we @freepress.bsky.social have been fighting for. Please tune in, 8am eastern. www.democracynow.org

Democracy Now!

A daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the U.S.

www.democracynow.org

1 14 53

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 9d

Free Press was in the room for yesterday's open meeting at the FCC. @notaaroncraig.bsky.social reports in the latest edition of Pressing Issues.

"The FCC has received more public attention in the past two weeks than any time in recent memory. There were more critics and way more security guards."

Face to Face with the Censorship Czar

I went to the FCC, and all I brought was this fabulous T-shirt.

pressingissues.org

1 4 12

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 9d

YouTube's $24.5 million-dollar payoff can't erase Trump's incitement of a violent uprising against American democracy.

Our statement: https://www.freepress.net/news/youtube-joins-ranks-media-giants-capitulating-trump-regime

YouTube Joins the Ranks of Media Giants Capitulating to Trump Regime

No PR campaign will restore YouTube’s integrity following such a staggering failure to stand up for truth and democracy.

www.freepress.net

1 8 9

Reposted by Free Press

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 9d

The Xylom has joined a coalition of press freedom groups, civil and human rights, First Amendment, and other advocacy groups, led by @pressfreedom.bsky.social @freepress.bsky.social, to call for the immediate release of journalist Mario Guevara from ICE custody.

Read our joint statement:

Dozens of organizations demand release of journalist Mario Guevara
In a healthy democracy, a free press is essential. That freedom is under threat in the United States
today.
An Emmy award-winning journalist has been detained for over 100 days – all because the government
considers his livestream reporting a threat. Mario Guevara was arrested June 14 in metro Atlanta while
covering a protest, then transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, where he
remains.
This is one of the longest periods a journalist has ever been detained in the United States. Guevara is
the only known journalist currently behind bars in the U.S. for his reporting.
The government’s prolonged detention of Guevara sends a chilling message to all journalists, citizens,
and residents who record law enforcement, report on government activities, and seek to report the
truth. This concerns all of us as a blatant attack on the First Amendment and press freedom.
Livestreaming and filming police is not a crime.
We – the undersigned coalition of press freedom, civil and human rights, First Amendment, and
other advocacy groups – call for the immediate release of journalist Mario Guevara from ICE
custody.
Signed,
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Free Press
Amnesty International USA
Asian American Journalists Association
Association of Foreign Press Correspondents
Atlanta Press Club
CASA
Campaign Legal Center
Cicero Independiente
Common Cause Georgia
Dallas Free Press
Defending Rights & Dissent
Enlace Latino NC
First Amendment Coalition
Freedom of the Press Foundation
GALEO & GALEO Impact Fund
Georgia First Amendment Foundation
Global Project Against Hate and Extremism
Institute for Nonprofit News
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)
Latino Community Fund Georgia (LCF Georgia)
Los Angeles Press Club
Mainline
Media Alliance
Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
National Press Photographers Association
National Writers Union

Additional Information
The federal government has argued that Guevara must remain in custody because his regular
livestreaming and reporting on law enforcement pose a danger to public safety. In fact, a free
press keeps us safe. The First Amendment holds the government accountable to the people,
and that includes immigrants. Under federal, state, and local laws, Guevara has a right to film
the police doing their jobs.
As of September 19, Mario Guevara faces imminent deportation back to his native El Salvador.
The Board of Immigration Appeals has re-opened his 13-year-old immigration case, declining to
release him on bond. Guevara’s lawyers in his habeas petition have argued that the immigration
judge in the 2012 case granted him voluntary departure rather than a deportation order. While
an appeal on that ruling was pending, the government administratively closed the case.
Guevara has had authorization to live and work in the United States since then.
There are no open charges against Guevara, and an immigration judge granted him bond on
July 1, yet he has spent months in detention. Guevara was first detained on June 14, 2025,
while livestreaming a local protest in the metro Atlanta area. While he was held by local
authorities, ICE issued a detainer against him and transferred him into their custody. The federal
government’s arguments rely heavily on coordination from local police. He has been shuffled
between five local and federal detention centers, and spent over two months in isolation. He is
now at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in southeastern Georgia.
For over 20 years, Guevara has resided in metro Atlanta with his family. Originally from El
Salvador, he entered the country legally and continues to have work authorization and a path to
a green card through his son, a U.S. citizen. Like the majority of broadcast and digital
journalists, Guevara frequently publishes livestream video.

21 53

Reposted by Free Press

Matt Wood @mattfieldwood.bsky.social · 10d

Last pair of items at the #FCC today is Brendan Carr now claiming fealty to statute — unlike, say, when deleting Congress’s national broadcast cap — all to “modernize” the #FCC rules in ways that rip internet connectivity away from school students.

1 3 7

Reposted by Free Press

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 10d

Free Press, @publiccitizen.bsky.social and 40+ groups are calling on FCC Chairman Carr to resign following his unconstitutional actions in office.

Our statement: https://www.freepress.net/news/fcc-chairman-brendan-carr-must-resign

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Must Resign

Carr has violated his oath of office and undermined core democratic principles.

www.freepress.net

5 13

Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 10d

More than 100 writers, journalists, and scholars call for the immediate release of Mario Guevara in a letter from @penamerica.bsky.social, @pressfreedom.bsky.social & Free Press.

His detention is a direct attack on press freedom. #FreeMario @attorneynora.bsky.social

SHARE: pen.org/press-releas...

26 62