Alexander Hohlfeld
@alhohlfeld.bsky.social
Digitalisation & Society | Digital Policy | Recommender Systems | Freedom of Speech | 🗣️: 🇬🇧 / 🇩🇪 | https://linktr.ee/al.hohlfeld
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
YouTube seems to be at least trialing out blocking VPNs and proxies
I really fear what sort of internet the future has in store for us. Probably where you have to identity yourself to every service and where anonymity and VPN use are increasingly illegal.
www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/s/3...
I really fear what sort of internet the future has in store for us. Probably where you have to identity yourself to every service and where anonymity and VPN use are increasingly illegal.
www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/s/3...
From the Piracy community on Reddit: No more vpn allowed on YouTube
Explore this post and more from the Piracy community
www.reddit.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:11 PM
YouTube seems to be at least trialing out blocking VPNs and proxies
I really fear what sort of internet the future has in store for us. Probably where you have to identity yourself to every service and where anonymity and VPN use are increasingly illegal.
www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/s/3...
I really fear what sort of internet the future has in store for us. Probably where you have to identity yourself to every service and where anonymity and VPN use are increasingly illegal.
www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/s/3...
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
The situation in Iran stands as a clear example of how digital sovereignty empowers repression rather than protects rights, says Azadeh Akbari. It should be a warning against abandoning the idea of a free and global internet, she writes. buff.ly/9e3UUoO
January 15, 2026 at 11:54 PM
The situation in Iran stands as a clear example of how digital sovereignty empowers repression rather than protects rights, says Azadeh Akbari. It should be a warning against abandoning the idea of a free and global internet, she writes. buff.ly/9e3UUoO
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
Stop whatever you're doing and read @farzdusa.bsky.social rejoinder to "digital sovereignty" at @futurefreespeech.org's Bedrock Principle:
How Digital Sovereignty Will Lead to The Slow and Fast Erosion of The Internet
Sovereignty is not a synonym for autonomy; it is instead the uncompromising authority to impose a single will upon others.
www.bedrockprinciple.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Stop whatever you're doing and read @farzdusa.bsky.social rejoinder to "digital sovereignty" at @futurefreespeech.org's Bedrock Principle:
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
What if expressing an unpopular opinion could get your assets frozen—or stop you from entering or transiting a country?
Europe has recently added to its fast-growing list of individuals sanctioned for speech deemed a threat to national security.
Europe has recently added to its fast-growing list of individuals sanctioned for speech deemed a threat to national security.
January 13, 2026 at 7:58 PM
What if expressing an unpopular opinion could get your assets frozen—or stop you from entering or transiting a country?
Europe has recently added to its fast-growing list of individuals sanctioned for speech deemed a threat to national security.
Europe has recently added to its fast-growing list of individuals sanctioned for speech deemed a threat to national security.
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
Some people in western democracies are so used to their basic freedom that they don't even notice when nation states take them away. Or support it even!
January 12, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Some people in western democracies are so used to their basic freedom that they don't even notice when nation states take them away. Or support it even!
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
On Dec. 1, 2025, we partnered with Örebro University to convene leading academics, regulators, companies, and civil society experts to confront this challenge in an in-depth roundtable examining AI’s impact on freedom of expression.
January 12, 2026 at 9:55 PM
On Dec. 1, 2025, we partnered with Örebro University to convene leading academics, regulators, companies, and civil society experts to confront this challenge in an in-depth roundtable examining AI’s impact on freedom of expression.
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
My mom says Generative AI chatbots made a big difference in her life this year. In your fight with big tech, don't forget that these AI online services, can be essential for some of the most vulnerable people.
December 31, 2025 at 7:12 PM
My mom says Generative AI chatbots made a big difference in her life this year. In your fight with big tech, don't forget that these AI online services, can be essential for some of the most vulnerable people.
Another example of why the concept of top-down fact checking is inherently dangerous. The question "what if the other side were to use the same concept?" is no longer merely hypothetical [1/2]
The White House was against fact-checking, until it's for "fact-checking."
Here's it's attempt at "fact-checking." www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/
Here's it's attempt at "fact-checking." www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/
Media Offenders
Explore the Media Bias Tracker that fact checks and holds Fake News accountable. False claims debunked, Hall of Shame for serial offenders, Leaderboard of networks ranked by Repeated Lies. Stay inform...
www.whitehouse.gov
December 30, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Another example of why the concept of top-down fact checking is inherently dangerous. The question "what if the other side were to use the same concept?" is no longer merely hypothetical [1/2]
The same instruments imposed by executive decisions are framed as a “defence of liberal democracy” when applied to political opponents, or as an “attack on liberal democracy” when applied to political allies (www.linkedin.com/posts/alexan...)
December 27, 2025 at 12:19 PM
The same instruments imposed by executive decisions are framed as a “defence of liberal democracy” when applied to political opponents, or as an “attack on liberal democracy” when applied to political allies (www.linkedin.com/posts/alexan...)
"This gap between user desires and current offerings indicates an opportunity: meaningful, accessible controls that provide substantive choices could meet this latent demand and increase adoption among users wanting greater agency over their digital environment"
and experimentation that measures long-term impact of design choices on users (e.g., Pinterest’s user surveys directly measure qualities like "inspiration" and "personal relevance," creating a proxy for long-term value). /4
Bringing Better Feeds to Life – Knight-Georgetown Institute
kgi.georgetown.edu
December 11, 2025 at 5:53 PM
"This gap between user desires and current offerings indicates an opportunity: meaningful, accessible controls that provide substantive choices could meet this latent demand and increase adoption among users wanting greater agency over their digital environment"
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
In their latest risk assessment report (https://www.tiktok.com/transparency/en/dsa-transparency/) #tiktok claims that AI content with the #C2PA label that is uploaded is automatically labeled. I tested this yesterday with one video and it seems this is not true […]
[Original post on chaos.social]
[Original post on chaos.social]
December 3, 2025 at 11:26 AM
In their latest risk assessment report (https://www.tiktok.com/transparency/en/dsa-transparency/) #tiktok claims that AI content with the #C2PA label that is uploaded is automatically labeled. I tested this yesterday with one video and it seems this is not true […]
[Original post on chaos.social]
[Original post on chaos.social]
"In the case of the "little Nazi", the accused, an elderly, physically disabled woman in a wheelchair, admitted to the offence immediately after the police arrived. Nevertheless, her mobile phone was confiscated to secure evidence" www.welt.de/politik/deut...
Vorwurf Politiker-Beleidigung: Hunderte Strafanträge – Merz’ ausuferndes Agieren in eigener Sache - WELT
CDU-Chef Friedrich Merz stellte seit 2021 als Oppositionsführer diverse Strafanzeigen wegen Beleidigung. WELT AM SONNTAG liegen exklusive Dokumente vor. Wegen zwei Äußerungen im Internet gegen ihn kam...
www.welt.de
December 7, 2025 at 12:36 PM
"In the case of the "little Nazi", the accused, an elderly, physically disabled woman in a wheelchair, admitted to the offence immediately after the police arrived. Nevertheless, her mobile phone was confiscated to secure evidence" www.welt.de/politik/deut...
"Die eigentliche Frage lautet inzwischen: Ist Europas hartes Vorgehen gegen Meinungsäußerungen zu einer größeren Gefahr für die Demokratie geworden als die Extremisten, die es eindämmen soll? " @mchangama.bsky.social
www.ipg-journal.de/rubriken/dem...
www.ipg-journal.de/rubriken/dem...
Wahnhaft wehrhaft
Im Namen der Demokratie schränken europäische Staaten zunehmend die Meinungsfreiheit ein. Doch der Schuss geht nach hinten los.
www.ipg-journal.de
December 4, 2025 at 4:22 PM
"Die eigentliche Frage lautet inzwischen: Ist Europas hartes Vorgehen gegen Meinungsäußerungen zu einer größeren Gefahr für die Demokratie geworden als die Extremisten, die es eindämmen soll? " @mchangama.bsky.social
www.ipg-journal.de/rubriken/dem...
www.ipg-journal.de/rubriken/dem...
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
Warnings that AI chatbots produce “biased” voting advice are fueling pressure for tighter controls on political outputs. Jacob Mchangama and Jordi Calvet-Bademunt warn that such moves could erode freedom of expression and pluralism.
Dutch Warning on Chatbots Echoes Trump Attacks on "Woke AI” | TechPolicy.Press
In its effort to protect democracy from algorithms, Europe may erode the very freedom that sustains it, write Jacob Mchangama and Jordi Calvet-Bademunt.
buff.ly
November 16, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Warnings that AI chatbots produce “biased” voting advice are fueling pressure for tighter controls on political outputs. Jacob Mchangama and Jordi Calvet-Bademunt warn that such moves could erode freedom of expression and pluralism.
Just 46% of Germans feel free to voice their opinions, while over 50% support banning certain unpopular ones. A recent poll by the Allensbach Institute shows a troubling climate for free expression in Germany
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
Allensbach-Umfrage: Die Deutschen und die Freiheit
Fast die Hälfte der Deutschen beklagt, dass man seine Meinung nicht mehr frei sagen könne. Doch ihr eigenes Verhältnis zur Freiheit ist widersprüchlich.
www.faz.net
November 14, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Just 46% of Germans feel free to voice their opinions, while over 50% support banning certain unpopular ones. A recent poll by the Allensbach Institute shows a troubling climate for free expression in Germany
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
A professor in Germany was banned from teaching for 16 months after the domestic intelligence service wrongly classified him as a “right-wing extremist” based solely on guilt by association:
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
German "militant democracy" is on a dangerous path
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
German "militant democracy" is on a dangerous path
Opfer des Verfassungsschutzes: Der Staatsfeind, der keiner war
16 Monate lang erhielt ein Professor in Hessen Lehrverbot, weil ihn der Verfassungsschutz dem „Rechtsextremismus“ zuordnete. Die Geschichte einer Peinigung.
www.faz.net
November 9, 2025 at 2:29 PM
A professor in Germany was banned from teaching for 16 months after the domestic intelligence service wrongly classified him as a “right-wing extremist” based solely on guilt by association:
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
German "militant democracy" is on a dangerous path
www.faz.net/aktuell/poli...
German "militant democracy" is on a dangerous path
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
"Unter anderem soll der umstrittene Tatbestand der Politikerbeleidigung auf Journalisten ausgedehnt werden"
Bitte, bitte liebe Zentristen, hört endlich auf mit diesem furchtbaren Quatsch, ihr macht alles nur noch schlimmer
www.lto.de/recht/nachri...
Bitte, bitte liebe Zentristen, hört endlich auf mit diesem furchtbaren Quatsch, ihr macht alles nur noch schlimmer
www.lto.de/recht/nachri...
JuMiKo: Politikerbeleidigung auf Journalisten ausweiten
Das Saarland will Angriffe auf Medienschaffende zielgerichteter im StGB ahnden. Angeregt wird, die Politikerbeleidigung auf Journalisten auszudehnen.
www.lto.de
October 31, 2025 at 8:23 AM
"Unter anderem soll der umstrittene Tatbestand der Politikerbeleidigung auf Journalisten ausgedehnt werden"
Bitte, bitte liebe Zentristen, hört endlich auf mit diesem furchtbaren Quatsch, ihr macht alles nur noch schlimmer
www.lto.de/recht/nachri...
Bitte, bitte liebe Zentristen, hört endlich auf mit diesem furchtbaren Quatsch, ihr macht alles nur noch schlimmer
www.lto.de/recht/nachri...
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
wenn sich etwas tatsächlich so verhält, wie einer behauptet, dass es sich verhält, dann „insinuiert“ er eigentlich gar nicht, oder?
October 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
wenn sich etwas tatsächlich so verhält, wie einer behauptet, dass es sich verhält, dann „insinuiert“ er eigentlich gar nicht, oder?
📊 The #DSA data access portal is live, and VLOPs/VLOSEs have begun publishing their data catalogues.
Trying to collect the links again: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Trying to collect the links again: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
October 29, 2025 at 3:40 PM
📊 The #DSA data access portal is live, and VLOPs/VLOSEs have begun publishing their data catalogues.
Trying to collect the links again: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Trying to collect the links again: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
German “hate speech” laws are already troubling, but their enforcement has become alarmingly disproportionate, unconstitutional, and incompatible with a free society, writes Affiliate Fellow @alhohlfeld.bsky.social.
October 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
German “hate speech” laws are already troubling, but their enforcement has become alarmingly disproportionate, unconstitutional, and incompatible with a free society, writes Affiliate Fellow @alhohlfeld.bsky.social.
German “hate speech” laws are already troubling, but their enforcement has become alarmingly disproportionate, unconstitutional, and incompatible with a free society. When investigation becomes punishment, the rule of law itself is at risk. Check out my latest blog post at @futurefreespeech.org
Punishment Before Trial? 'Hate Speech' Raids in Germany
German “hate speech” laws are already troubling, but their enforcement has become alarmingly disproportionate, unconstitutional, and incompatible with a free society.
www.bedrockprinciple.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:38 PM
German “hate speech” laws are already troubling, but their enforcement has become alarmingly disproportionate, unconstitutional, and incompatible with a free society. When investigation becomes punishment, the rule of law itself is at risk. Check out my latest blog post at @futurefreespeech.org
A dangerous trend continues www.politico.eu/article/germ...
October 23, 2025 at 4:45 PM
A dangerous trend continues www.politico.eu/article/germ...
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
Humans are humans on TikTok too.
Negativity drives engagement on political TikTok
Negativity drives engagement on political TikTok
TikTok users are more likely to interact with political videos that target out-groups, express negative emotion, or call for action. Engagement patterns differ by political leaning, but conflict-driven and emotionally charged content consistently performs better across the ideological spectrum.
www.psypost.org
October 14, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Humans are humans on TikTok too.
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
We are alarmed by reports that Germany is on the verge of a catastrophic about-face, reversing its longstanding and principled opposition to the EU’s Chat Control proposal which, if passed, could spell the end of the right to privacy in Europe. signal.org/blog/pdfs/ge...
signal.org
October 3, 2025 at 4:14 PM
We are alarmed by reports that Germany is on the verge of a catastrophic about-face, reversing its longstanding and principled opposition to the EU’s Chat Control proposal which, if passed, could spell the end of the right to privacy in Europe. signal.org/blog/pdfs/ge...
Reposted by Alexander Hohlfeld
“Every counterrevolution, like every revolution, begins by being afraid of its own people.”
—Hannah Arendt, On Revolution (1963) 🇩🇪
—Hannah Arendt, On Revolution (1963) 🇩🇪
October 2, 2025 at 8:43 AM
“Every counterrevolution, like every revolution, begins by being afraid of its own people.”
—Hannah Arendt, On Revolution (1963) 🇩🇪
—Hannah Arendt, On Revolution (1963) 🇩🇪