In January 2026, Iran imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that left tens of millions with severely restricted access for close to three weeks, amid protests and a security crackdown. Weeks earlier, Uganda again cut access around elections, throttling platforms and blocking social media. At the same time, new leaks and investigations trace how commercial filtering and surveillance tools from Western and Chinese firms make these shutdowns sharper and harder to evade.
South Korea's National Assembly passed a controversial anti-fake news law in December 2025 that allows punitive damages up to five times proven losses against media outlets and online content creators. UNESCO and press freedom groups have condemned the legislation for its vague definitions that could enable censorship. Notably absent from the debate: South Korea's arts sector, which mobilized thousands during the 2014-2017 artist blacklist scandal.
TikTok is facing accusations of suppressing content about federal immigration enforcement and a fatal shooting in Minneapolis, just days after the platform completed its transfer to majority American ownership. Users claim their videos about the January 24 killing of Alex Pretti received unusually low views or were marked "ineligible for recommendation" by the platform's algorithm. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents during an immigration
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.
Uganda’s 2026 elections are unfolding under a deliberate information blackout. A nationwide internet shutdown, assaults on journalists, and orders for rights groups to halt work have gutted independent scrutiny of the vote. The combined pressure on media, NGOs and cultural actors exposes a deepening digital authoritarianism that directly threatens civic and artistic freedoms in Uganda.
COMMENTARY: The Trump administration’s withdrawal from key digital‑rights and cultural‑governance bodies exposes a sharp clash of political visions. On one side, the United States casts multilateral institutions as vehicles of “global governance” and “progressive ideology” that threaten national sovereignty. On the other, Norway treats the very same organizations as essential infrastructure for protecting human rights, artistic freedom and cultural heritage.
In December 2025, Russia blocked Roblox, citing extremism and “LGBT propaganda.” For millions of children, the platform is more than a game—it’s a social and creative space. The ban sparked tens of thousands of complaints to the Kremlin, protests in Tomsk, and widespread discussion about digital rights, highlighting how Russia’s push for a closed “Runet” now clashes with youth culture, creativity, and freedom of expression.
Chinese actor Yu Menglong, 37, died in Beijing on September 11, 2025. Officially ruled an accidental fall, his death has made speculation online, fuelling debates across China and Taiwan. Suppressed domestic discussion collided with diaspora discourse, highlighting tensions between PRC narrative control and cross-border media scrutiny. The case reveals the limits of digital censorship, the power of global fandom, and the complexities of information in a politically charged environment
A UK billboard campaign accusing Instagram of failing to protect users from scams was pulled just before launch, not by regulators but by media buyers wary of upsetting Meta, a major client. Created with scam victims and advocates, #IgnoredByInsta highlights the human cost of account hijacks and absent support. The incident exposes how commercial dependency in the advertising ecosystem can quietly suppress public criticism of powerful platforms.
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As war escalated in Gaza after October 2023, Meta’s platforms became crucial spaces for documentation and solidarity. Yet investigations and leaks suggest a vast system of digital censorship targeting Palestinian and pro-Palestinian content, allegedly in close coordination with Israeli authorities. While platforms deny political bias, artists and activists across the Arab world are now developing creative strategies to evade algorithmic suppression and preserve their narratives.
