Mary Anne Franks
@maryannefranks.bsky.social
Law Professor at George Washington Law. President of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Author of Fearless Speech (2024) and The Cult of the Constitution (2019). First Amendment, civil rights, technology, criminal law, family law, firearms law.
Pinned
My book Fearless Speech celebrates those who risk harm to themselves to challenge power, fight injustice, & advocate for the truth, who practice what the ancient Greeks called parrhesia. I am gathering examples of fearless speech in this dark time- if you have some to share, please do so in replies!
Honored to be in such great company, and even more so to be recommended by someone as brilliant and fearless as @bechamilton.bsky.social
[2/2] Don't miss our 2025 EOY book recs from the JS community. Featuring novels and non-fiction by @maryannefranks.bsky.social @valinasr.bsky.social @joycewhitevance.bsky.social @rondeibert.bsky.social @byaaroncdavis.bsky.social @carolleonnig.bsky.social & more
www.justsecurity.org/126111/just-...
www.justsecurity.org/126111/just-...
The Just Security 2025 Year-End Book Recommendations
Just Security editors recommend books they read this year, including those that illuminated world issues and brought joy into their 2025.
www.justsecurity.org
December 7, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Honored to be in such great company, and even more so to be recommended by someone as brilliant and fearless as @bechamilton.bsky.social
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
“Both @milleridriss.bsky.social & @maryannefranks.bsky.social are feminist scholars with impeccable academic credentials, who have mastered the tough art of making scholarship accessible to a mainstream audience. Both also use their knowledge to advance real-world change”🧪
@bechamilton.bsky.social
@bechamilton.bsky.social
December 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
“Both @milleridriss.bsky.social & @maryannefranks.bsky.social are feminist scholars with impeccable academic credentials, who have mastered the tough art of making scholarship accessible to a mainstream audience. Both also use their knowledge to advance real-world change”🧪
@bechamilton.bsky.social
@bechamilton.bsky.social
Ah, the finding out phase hechingerreport.org/an-unexpecte...
Trump’s attacks on DEI may hurt men in college admission
A government order that colleges disclose details about their applicants suggests that advantages by gender may face the same heightened scrutiny as purported racial preferences. That threatens to acc...
hechingerreport.org
December 7, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Ah, the finding out phase hechingerreport.org/an-unexpecte...
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
A college student complaining about a grade on a paper is not national news. Not even close. The details have minimal import outside the class itself.
Well-funded political activists targeting profs and TAs—in this case because they're trans—with the help of elected state officials? National issue.
Well-funded political activists targeting profs and TAs—in this case because they're trans—with the help of elected state officials? National issue.
December 1, 2025 at 5:31 PM
A college student complaining about a grade on a paper is not national news. Not even close. The details have minimal import outside the class itself.
Well-funded political activists targeting profs and TAs—in this case because they're trans—with the help of elected state officials? National issue.
Well-funded political activists targeting profs and TAs—in this case because they're trans—with the help of elected state officials? National issue.
Powerful piece by @rlswrites.bsky.social: "The misogyny that is such a casual part of Mr. Trump’s entire modus operandi gives license to systems that prioritize men’s freedoms over women’s lives." www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/o...
Opinion | The Real Epstein Cover-Up
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Powerful piece by @rlswrites.bsky.social: "The misogyny that is such a casual part of Mr. Trump’s entire modus operandi gives license to systems that prioritize men’s freedoms over women’s lives." www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/o...
“We don’t have a conservative and a liberal party right now. We have a democracy party and a fascist party.”
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 PM
“We don’t have a conservative and a liberal party right now. We have a democracy party and a fascist party.”
I really appreciate @billmccarthy.bsky.social for bringing my attention to this tragic case. As I told him in our interview, "What depresses me about these cases is that even if they're ultimately successful, the damage is really impossible to undo."
Denton Loudermill Jr. was falsely accused online, including by politicians, of being the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooter and an undocumented immigrant.
The misinformation sent the father of three into a year-long spiral of paranoia. Then he died.
www.barrons.com/news/grievin...
The misinformation sent the father of three into a year-long spiral of paranoia. Then he died.
www.barrons.com/news/grievin...
November 20, 2025 at 10:13 PM
I really appreciate @billmccarthy.bsky.social for bringing my attention to this tragic case. As I told him in our interview, "What depresses me about these cases is that even if they're ultimately successful, the damage is really impossible to undo."
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 4:22 AM
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
Trump’s first nominee for Attorney General of the United States
November 13, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Trump’s first nominee for Attorney General of the United States
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
Something absolutely perfect about Larry Summers riffing about the scourge of woke cancel culture being unfair to predatory men in a friendly email to his pal JEFFREY EPSTEIN.
November 13, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Something absolutely perfect about Larry Summers riffing about the scourge of woke cancel culture being unfair to predatory men in a friendly email to his pal JEFFREY EPSTEIN.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
the only thing democrats should be saying today is “the entire republican party is engaged in a coverup of the most notorious child sex trafficking ring in world history”
November 12, 2025 at 2:08 PM
the only thing democrats should be saying today is “the entire republican party is engaged in a coverup of the most notorious child sex trafficking ring in world history”
Trump's secret identity as a Juggalo revealed
November 10, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Trump's secret identity as a Juggalo revealed
"Let the people everywhere take heart of hope, for the cross is bending, the midnight is passing, and joy cometh with the morning."
November 5, 2025 at 4:51 AM
"Let the people everywhere take heart of hope, for the cross is bending, the midnight is passing, and joy cometh with the morning."
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
The entire right-wing propaganda machine came after Zohran Mamdani.
The president and his allies came after him.
Democratic leaders, by and large, did not have his back until the last minute.
He still won, turning out historic numbers and inspiring young voters.
His politics can win anywhere.
The president and his allies came after him.
Democratic leaders, by and large, did not have his back until the last minute.
He still won, turning out historic numbers and inspiring young voters.
His politics can win anywhere.
November 5, 2025 at 2:36 AM
The entire right-wing propaganda machine came after Zohran Mamdani.
The president and his allies came after him.
Democratic leaders, by and large, did not have his back until the last minute.
He still won, turning out historic numbers and inspiring young voters.
His politics can win anywhere.
The president and his allies came after him.
Democratic leaders, by and large, did not have his back until the last minute.
He still won, turning out historic numbers and inspiring young voters.
His politics can win anywhere.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
the other thing about this is that there is no reason to pit these candidates against each other? each are good fits for their respective electorates and each shows the value of vigorous campaigns focused on the stated material problems of voters.
November 4, 2025 at 1:37 PM
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
It's impossible to overstate how much of what ICE is doing on the ground reflects this completely preposterous conflation of hostile *speech* and hostile *conduct.*
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
From Bovino's deposition: (1) he calls protestors "violent" if they articulate views hostile to ICE, even if no violence is manifested; (2) he instructs his forces to attack and arrest protestors who express "hyperbolic comments," which is to say, criticism of ICE and Bovino.
November 4, 2025 at 5:19 PM
It's impossible to overstate how much of what ICE is doing on the ground reflects this completely preposterous conflation of hostile *speech* and hostile *conduct.*
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
October 30, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
This is *such* a good podcast - always aharp and fascinating – and this episode is particularly great.
Really enjoyed chatting with @llassabe.bsky.social about how the manufactured college free speech crisis paved the way for the assault on universities today: americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...
Beware of FIRE (and institutional neutrality) with Mary Anne Franks - American Campus Podcast
On the rightwing origins of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.References and suggested readings:Mary Anne Franks. 2024. Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment. Bold ...
americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:02 PM
This is *such* a good podcast - always aharp and fascinating – and this episode is particularly great.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
An excellent discussion by two leading scholars.
Check out their work and the American Campus podcast as a whole.
👇👇👇
Check out their work and the American Campus podcast as a whole.
👇👇👇
Really enjoyed chatting with @llassabe.bsky.social about how the manufactured college free speech crisis paved the way for the assault on universities today: americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...
Beware of FIRE (and institutional neutrality) with Mary Anne Franks - American Campus Podcast
On the rightwing origins of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.References and suggested readings:Mary Anne Franks. 2024. Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment. Bold ...
americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:20 PM
An excellent discussion by two leading scholars.
Check out their work and the American Campus podcast as a whole.
👇👇👇
Check out their work and the American Campus podcast as a whole.
👇👇👇
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship
Videos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as “pure dystopian creep.”
www.404media.co
October 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
plus a little separate shout-out for @llassabe.bsky.social 's phenomenal American Campus podcast as a whole. if you're at all part of or connected to higher education, it's indispensable – for understanding How We Got Here, how "Here" arose from decades-long political currents, and so, so much else.
October 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
plus a little separate shout-out for @llassabe.bsky.social 's phenomenal American Campus podcast as a whole. if you're at all part of or connected to higher education, it's indispensable – for understanding How We Got Here, how "Here" arose from decades-long political currents, and so, so much else.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
such a stellar conversation, one that pulled a lot of threads together and offered a far-clearer picture of the whole than I ever had before – and I research, write on, and teach about this stuff pretty much constantly!
take the little time to give it a listen; it's well worth it.
take the little time to give it a listen; it's well worth it.
Really enjoyed chatting with @llassabe.bsky.social about how the manufactured college free speech crisis paved the way for the assault on universities today: americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...
Beware of FIRE (and institutional neutrality) with Mary Anne Franks - American Campus Podcast
On the rightwing origins of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.References and suggested readings:Mary Anne Franks. 2024. Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment. Bold ...
americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
such a stellar conversation, one that pulled a lot of threads together and offered a far-clearer picture of the whole than I ever had before – and I research, write on, and teach about this stuff pretty much constantly!
take the little time to give it a listen; it's well worth it.
take the little time to give it a listen; it's well worth it.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
Consider how few anecdotes it took for the media to declare a Free Speech on Campus crisis.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
DHS posted a disturbing video today featuring a song that’s popular with Nazi creators
DHS Posts Video Featuring Song Popular With Nazi Creators
The agency denied making
gizmodo.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Consider how few anecdotes it took for the media to declare a Free Speech on Campus crisis.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
Reposted by Mary Anne Franks
Again, not the most important here, but I'm begging for a journalist to figure out how/why NPS put up a Confederate statue DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. How is this "essential" when food stamps are not?
Feels symbolic that a Confederate statue first installed in 1901, at the peak of the consolidation of the Jim Crow system—when the states of the former Confederacy were in the midst of revising their constitutions to disfranchise Black citizens—has been reinstalled.
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
A Confederate statue toppled in Washington, D.C., in 2020 has been reinstalled
A statue of Confederate general Albert Pike, which had been pulled down during the Black Lives Matter movement, has been put back up in Washington, D.C.'s Judiciary Square.
www.npr.org
October 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Again, not the most important here, but I'm begging for a journalist to figure out how/why NPS put up a Confederate statue DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. How is this "essential" when food stamps are not?
Really enjoyed chatting with @llassabe.bsky.social about how the manufactured college free speech crisis paved the way for the assault on universities today: americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...
Beware of FIRE (and institutional neutrality) with Mary Anne Franks - American Campus Podcast
On the rightwing origins of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.References and suggested readings:Mary Anne Franks. 2024. Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment. Bold ...
americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Really enjoyed chatting with @llassabe.bsky.social about how the manufactured college free speech crisis paved the way for the assault on universities today: americancampuspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2396665/epis...