COMMENT: On January 22, 2026, TikTok handed American control to a consortium of Larry Ellison's Oracle and an Abu Dhabi state fund called MGX. Ellison has given $26 million to Israel's military since 2014. MGX is chaired by the UAE's national security adviser, a country that criminalizes dissent, tortures prisoners, and surveils residents. The White House called it a national security win. For others it's a consolidation of power designed to silence. The First Amendment and Section 230 now shield these new gatekeepers from accountability.
Bi-2, a Russian-Belarusian anti-war rock band, was detained in Thailand in January 2024 for alleged visa violations after concert organizers claimed proper permits were secured. Accusations of Russian consular interference led to global advocacy from Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, resulting in the band’s release to Israel. Their case exposes new realities of transnational repression facing artists.
