- An open letter to Google: Stop the censorship of the Internet! Stop the political blacklisting of the World Socialist Web Site! (25 August 2017)
- The bicentenary of Marx’s birth, socialism and the resurgence of the international class struggle (3 January 2018)
- The Place of the October Revolution in World History and Contemporary Politics (13 November 2017)
- Palace coup or class struggle: The political crisis in Washington and the strategy of the working class (13 June 2017)
- A Quarter Century of War: The US Drive for Global Hegemony 1990–2016 (11 July 2016)
- Socialism and the Fight Against War (10 February 2016)
Internet Censorship
The US government, in collaboration with social media companies, is implementing massive restrictions on Internet access. Capitalist governments in Europe and throughout the world are enacting similar repressive policies.
In late April 2017, Google announced the implementation of new algorithms aimed at limiting or blocking access to the WSWS and other left wing, anti-war and progressive websites. Similar measures to deny Internet users access to revolutionary socialist and oppositional information and commentary have been implemented by Facebook and Twitter.
The World Socialist Web Site has taken the lead in exposing this conspiracy to censor the Internet and issued a call for the formation of an International Coalition of Socialist, Anti-War and Progressive Websites to fight back against this attack on freedom of speech and basic democratic rights.
France hosts “Christchurch call” summit to intensify internet censorship
By Will Morrow, 16 May 2019
Under the banner of fighting terrorism, the social media giants and capitalist states are seeking to censor social media to banish left-wing and anti-war views.
Censorship in the guise of opposition to monopoly control
Co-founder Chris Hughes calls for government break-up of Facebook
By Kevin Reed, 16 May 2019
The New York Times op-ed by Hughes is part of a campaign for government regulation of social media and technology corporations in order to step up censorship of left-wing political views.
German president calls for clampdown on freedom of speech, internet censorship at Berlin conference
By Johannes Stern, 14 May 2019
Ahead of the European elections on May 26, the ruling class aims to intensify internet censorship and silence critical viewpoints.
Free Assange NZ denounces hypocrisy at World Press Freedom Day event
By Tom Peters, 11 May 2019
Alex Hills from Free Assange New Zealand condemned the British government’s “brazen hypocrisy” and called on the media to “end the smears and lies about an anti-war hero.”
Facebook escalates social media censorship with shutdown of far-right accounts
By Kevin Reed, 4 May 2019
While the far-right has the backing of powerful factions of the state and the ruling class, the move by Facebook creates a precedent for the overt censorship of left-wing organizations.
“Assange can only be defended by an international movement of the working class”
Christoph Vandreier speaks at Berlin rally to defend Julian Assange
By Christoph Vandreier, 27 April 2019
Christoph Vandreier, Deputy National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party in Germany and a candidate in the European elections, addressed a rally in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in Berlin in defense of the Wikileaks publisher.
UN official visits Julian Assange, investigating Ecuador’s illegal surveillance
By Mike Head, 26 April 2019
Confronted by worldwide protests and petitions, the British government felt compelled to grant the UN access to the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder.
Formerly-jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste fronts corporate media attack on Julian Assange
By Mike Head, 20 April 2019
Peter Greste, once incarcerated by the US-backed Egyptian junta, is using his reputation as a victim of attacks on press freedom to support the Washington-led efforts to suppress WikiLeaks.
SGP Chairman Ulrich Rippert addresses free Assange rally in Berlin
13 April 2019
Ulrich Rippert, the chairman of the Socialist Equality Party, addressed a rally in front of the British embassy in Berlin, Germany, demanding the freedom of WikiLeaks Publisher Julian Assange.
The Assange arrest is a warning from history
Comment by John Pilger, 13 April 2019
John Pilger, well-known filmmaker and investigative journalist, issued the following statement on the arrest of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London on April 11.
Worldwide outrage over arrest of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange
By Niles Niemuth, 12 April 2019
After nearly seven years of confinement to the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Assange now faces the possibility of a year in a UK prison and extradition to the United States.
Amid corruption scandals and deals with IMF and Washington, Ecuador’s government betrays Assange
By Bill Van Auken, 12 April 2019
The handing over of Assange to his British and US persecutors is part of a sharp drive to the right by the corruption-stained government of Lenín Moreno.
Free Julian Assange!
By Statement of the World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board, 12 April 2019
The World Socialist Web Site emphatically condemns the forcible seizure and arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Defend Julian Assange!
Statement of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 6 April 2019
The Socialist Equality Party (Australia) condemns the stepped-up preparations to expel Julian Assange from London’s Ecuadorian embassy and to force him into the custody of the British police. WikiLeaks reported today that it has information, from a source in the Ecuadorian state, that Assange’s eviction from the building, where he sought asylum in 2012, will occur “within hours or days.”
Australian government sets global precedent with online censorship bill
By Mike Head, 4 April 2019
While nominally directed against the far-right, the bill will be used to step up the offensive against oppositional, left-wing and socialist postings.
European Union intensifies internet censorship
By Justus Leicht and Johannes Stern, 27 March 2019
Two months before the European elections, the European Parliament has pushed through a directive to enforce the use of so-called upload filters in social media, thus further censoring the internet.
Australian government exploits fascist atrocity in New Zealand to push online censorship
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 March 2019
The entire political establishment is seeking to cover up its responsibility for the fascist attack and exploit it to crack down on the democratic rights of ordinary people.
Unsealed documents shed light on state conspiracy against Chelsea Manning
By Kevin Reed, 22 March 2019
The unsealed documents shine a light on the desperate measures to which the US government has resorted in pursuing a legal pretext to prosecute Julian Assange.
Putin signs Russian internet censorship bills into law
By Clara Weiss, 22 March 2019
The two laws are part of an international campaign by the ruling class to crack down on the internet.
Mark Zuckerberg’s “Privacy Manifesto”: A brief for intensifying Internet and social media censorship
By Kevin Reed, 12 March 2019
The new vision for Facebook published by Mark Zuckerberg on March 6 is part of the response by the ruling elite to the role that social media is playing in the growth of class struggle internationally.
Uganda’s social media tax leads to sharp drop in internet users
By Eddie Haywood, 9 March 2019
The government of President Yoweri Museveni, in power for three decades, regards social media with intense hostility and suspicion.
Greetings from the Sri Lankan Abbotsleigh Estate Workers Action Committee to the Assange defence rallies in Australia
2 March 2019
Tea plantation workers struggling for decent working conditions have expressed their solidarity with the fight to free WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange.
UK parliament committee demands sweeping social media censorship
By Robert Stevens, 22 February 2019
Social media companies would be required by law to remove what is deemed as “disinformation,” as well as “harmful content,” or face potential fines.
Alleging “Russian influence,” Facebook bans left-wing pages
By Andy Thompson, 20 February 2019
Facebook suspended four pages run by Maffick Media, including In the Now, Soapbox, Back Then and Waste-Ed, which posted content critical of US foreign and social policy.
Award-winning journalist Chris Hedges endorses Free Assange demonstrations in Australia
16 February 2019
“It is imperative that we pressure the Australian government to make sure its citizen, Julian Assange, is protected from the lawlessness of the American empire.”
Dearborn, Michigan mayor suppresses historical article on Henry Ford’s anti-Semitism
By Tom Mackaman, 7 February 2019
The censored article details how Ford’s Dearborn Independent newspaper served as a platform for vile slanders against Jews—and an inspiration for Hitler and the Nazis.
Facebook’s censor Nick Clegg outlines plans for European elections
By Robert Stevens, 2 February 2019
Facebook will play a major role in determining what voices Europe’s population are allowed to hear.
The Matamoros auto strike and internet censorship
By Andre Damon, 24 January 2019
The ongoing strike by over 70,000 workers in Matamoros, Mexico has been met with a media blackout by the major print and broadcast outlets.
Indian government foreshadows harsher internet surveillance and censorship
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 18 January 2019
The planned laws are part of vast array of anti-democratic measures being introduced by governments internationally to target and spy on internet users.
Der Spiegel’s counterfeit journalism and the campaign against “fake news”
By Peter Schwarz, 31 December 2018
The unmasking of a counterfeiter in the editorial offices of the German newsweekly Der Spiegel has exposed the manipulation of public opinion by the so-called authoritative media.
Facebook: The global censor
By Andre Damon, 29 December 2018
This year has seen an intensification of internet censorship by Google, Facebook and Twitter, transforming these companies into censors that police what their users say, do and think.
US media demands stepped-up domestic spying over Russian “meddling”
New York Times: Back to the good days before Edward Snowden!
By Andre Damon, 20 December 2018
In a revealing comment, the New York Times argues that the present hysteria over Russian “subversion” can roll back the impact of Edward Snowden’s revelation of illegal mass government surveillance.
A closer look at American “democracy”
By Barry Grey, 20 December 2018
The population is given the opportunity every two or four years to go to the polls and vote for one or the other corporate-controlled party. This is what is called “democracy.”
SEP (Australia) meeting announces rallies in defence of Julian Assange
By our reporters, 18 December 2018
The protests in Sydney and Melbourne will demand that the government take immediate action to secure Assange’s return to Australia, with a guarantee against extradition to the US.
Democrats downplay Google censorship at congressional hearing
By Andre Damon, 13 December 2018
The principal targets of censorship by the Internet companies, working with the US intelligence agencies, are left-wing, anti-war and socialist political viewpoints.
Jacobin urges readers to “log off” social media
By Will Morrow, 8 December 2018
An article in Jacobin argues that Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms have become damaging to the health of the population, are “destructive for the left,” and should be done away with.
The Guardian attack on Assange exposed as politically-motivated fabrication
By James Cogan, 6 December 2018
The lack of any case against WikiLeaks explains the scurrilous allegations by the Guardian newspaper last week.
French protests spark media demands for Facebook censorship
By Andre Damon, 5 December 2018
Sections of the press in France and the United States have seized upon the “yellow vest” demonstrations to directly demand the suppression of popular opposition on social media.
New York Times: Our crime was telling the truth
By Andre Damon, 29 November 2018
The Times and the Washington Post are arguing that by publishing true information about political corruption, the US press committed what amounts to treason.
Australian parliamentary inquiry discusses intensifying internet censorship
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 November 2018
The hearing pointed to the political establishment seeking to suppress mounting opposition to war, austerity and authoritarianism.
Sri Lanka: UNP demands Facebook protect identity of party supporters
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 21 November 2018
UNP allegations that state authorities could be collaborating with Facebook to target its supporters came amid escalating infighting within the Sri Lankan political elite.
Australian establishment collaborates in US vendetta against Julian Assange
By James Cogan, 20 November 2018
The sealed US charges underscore the danger facing Assange and the perfidy of those who support his persecution.
Facebook hires former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
By Joe Mount, 16 November 2018
Clegg joins Facebook at a time when it is censoring socialist, left-wing and oppositional web sites, including the closure of hundreds of such sites over the last several weeks.
Washington’s censorship regime goes global
Facebook deletes WSWS post on Sri Lanka
By Andre Damon, 14 November 2018
Facebook is acting as an agent of the US intelligence agencies, which see the growing audience for international socialism as an obstacle to their efforts to exploit ethnic divisions in developing countries.
Facebook and Twitter intensify censorship in 2018 elections
By Kevin Reed, 8 November 2018
Facebook shut down 115 accounts and Twitter deleted 10,000 accounts on the eve of the 2018 elections, engaging in blatant censorship.
Julian Assange warns that Ecuador is moving to end his political asylum
By Mike Head, 30 October 2018
The WikiLeaks founder told an Ecuadorian court hearing that President Moreno had already decided to terminate his asylum but had not yet officially given the order.
Spy and police chiefs demand passage of Australian encryption access law
By Mike Head, 29 October 2018
The heads of the “security” apparatus spoke on behalf of the US-led “Five Eyes” intelligence network, which conducts mass monitoring of the world’s population.
European Union steps up Internet censorship in the name of opposing “disinformation”
By Johannes Stern, 26 October 2018
The EU summit threatened with sanctions and penalties any party that diverges from the prescribed political line in the 2019 European election campaign.
In the face of mounting threats, the working class must defend Julian Assange
By Bill Van Auken, 25 October 2018
The Ecuadorian government’s public renunciation of any responsibility to defend Assange is an ominous warning that it is preparing to turn him over to British authorities.
War, censorship, and the invention of “fake news”
By Andre Damon, 22 October 2018
Under conditions of mounting social opposition and escalating plans for military conflict, the US political establishment is moving to ever more brazenly implement internet censorship.
As Trump administration prepares to withdraw from nuclear missile treaty
US charges new Russian conspiracy to interfere in midterm elections
By Will Morrow, 20 October 2018
The charges have been released without the slightest evidence, but have immediately been accepted as gospel and amplified by the American media.
The “new cold war,” censorship, and the future of the internet
By Andre Damon, 17 October 2018
The internet is becoming a battleground for economic and geopolitical conflict, while states, acting on behalf of capitalist elites, are seeking to censor online information.
Facebook’s purge of left-wing media: A frontal assault on freedom of speech
By Andre Damon, 15 October 2018
The social media monopoly’s removal of left-wing news pages with millions of followers is the latest step in a conspiracy by the state and the technology giants to censor the internet.
Pages purged by Facebook were on blacklist promoted by Washington Post
By Andre Damon, 13 October 2018
PropOrNot, an organization that published a blacklist of oppositional media organizations in 2016, hailed Facebook’s actions as the precursor to shutting down the targeted organizations' web sites.
Facebook carries out massive purge of oppositional pages
By Andre Damon, 12 October 2018
In a sweeping assault on democratic rights, Facebook has carried out a purge of oppositional media pages with millions of followers.
Leaked Google document: Tech firms have shifted away from “free speech and towards censorship”
By Kevin Reed, 11 October 2018
On Tuesday, the far-right news outlet Breitbart News published a leaked internal document by technology giant Google that openly discusses political censorship.
50 million user accounts hacked in Facebook data breach
By Kevin Reed, 5 October 2018
Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook’s “View As” feature to gain access to user account details.
The US military’s vision for state censorship
By Andre Damon, 5 October 2018
The Atlantic Council, a key partner in social media companies’ drive to censor the internet, has published a summary of a US special forces conference outlining a plan for systematically gutting the freedom of expression.
European Union announces draconian internet censorship measures
By Thomas Scripps, 20 September 2018
The new EU law will formalise even closer relationships between state security services and tech companies.
UK: Corbyn’s media policies leave corporate domination unchanged, silent on censorship
By Joe Mount and Julie Hyland, 20 September 2018
There was not a single proposal by the Labour Party leader challenging the corporate oligarchy’s domination of the media.
Facebook expands censorship to photos and videos
By Mike Ingram, 19 September 2018
Facebook’s “fact-checkers” will now censor not just web articles, but image macros and political videos.
Silicon Valley’s corrupt nexus: War, censorship and inequality
By Andre Damon, 17 September 2018
The appearance of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at the Air Force Association’s annual conference embodies the fusion of America’s technology monopolies with the apparatus of state repression.
Facebook censors ThinkProgress
By Trévon Austin, 14 September 2018
Facebook labeled a story from the left-wing ThinkProgress web site as “false” based on a “fact check” by the far-right Weekly Standard.
Sri Lankan prime minister threatens increased internet and social media censorship
By Saman Gunadasa, 10 September 2018
Wickremesinghe’s comments are part of the escalating global censorship of the internet and social media, and other attacks on democratic rights.
A warning to the working class
Facebook’s partnership with the Atlantic Council
By Kevin Reed, 8 September 2018
The campaign against “fake news,” “election meddling” and “disinformation” is emerging as the integration of the social media monopolies with the US military-intelligence apparatus.
New York Times covers up Google’s censorship
By Andre Damon, 7 September 2018
The Times’ report on allegations that Google is censoring the Internet is a white-wash, echoing the company’s self-serving denials without any serious examination of the facts.
In Senate hearing, Facebook pledges to replace “bad speech” with “alternative facts”
By Andre Damon in Washington, 6 September 2018
Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee made one thing clear: there is not an inch of daylight between Facebook and the spy agencies in the drive to censor the internet.
As social opposition mounts, Silicon Valley and Washington step up internet censorship
By Andre Damon, 5 September 2018
As executives from Facebook and Twitter prepare to testify on Capitol Hill, the social media monopolies are scrambling to demonstrate how far they have gone to implement censorship.
Accused by Trump of rigging search results, Google denies political bias
By Andre Damon, 29 August 2018
The internet monopoly, which has worked to bury left-wing political viewpoints in search results for over a year, said, “We never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment.”
Behind the coordinated social media censorship by Facebook, Twitter and Google
What is FireEye?
By Kevin Reed, 29 August 2018
The cyber-security firm FireEye has high-level connections with military intelligence and Wall Street and is working with social media companies to promote censorship.
Amazon unleashes army of Twitter trolls to improve its image
By Erik Schreiber, 27 August 2018
The company's primary objective is to mitigate the damage from increasingly common exposures of the punishing conditions at its warehouses.
Google shuts down YouTube channels in expansion of state-directed online censorship
By Kevin Reed, 25 August 2018
Google announced on Thursday that it had shut down 58 social media accounts that the company claimed were part of an Iranian government-sponsored “influence campaign.”
One year after WSWS open letter to Google
Facebook escalates censorship of left-wing, anti-war organizations
By Andre Damon, 23 August 2018
On Tuesday, Facebook announced the removal of hundreds of user accounts and pages, many of them opposing the crimes of the American, Saudi and Israeli governments in the Middle East.
Google employees protest plans to build censored search engine in China
By Andre Damon, 18 August 2018
Google CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed Thursday that the company has worked to develop a censored version of its search engine in collaboration with the Chinese state.
London: Ecuador embassy vigil marks six years since Julian Assange granted asylum
By Paul Mitchell, 18 August 2018
If forced out, Assange faces arrest by British police and imprisonment on bail infringement charges relating to a case dropped by Sweden over a year ago.
Facebook censors Telesur and Venezuela Analysis
By Andrea Lobo, 17 August 2018
As the Trump administration escalates its onslaught against Venezuela, technology corporations are stepping up censorship of sites critical of US policy.
Mueller investigation seeks to implicate WikiLeaks and Julian Assange in “Russian interference”
By James Cogan, 15 August 2018
The purported evidence of ties between Russian intelligence, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks is threadbare to the point of being ludicrous.
Teamsters for a Democratic Union-linked Facebook page censors Amazon worker’s video calling for a united struggle with UPS workers
By Will Morrow, 10 August 2018
The Teamsters for a Democratic Union, a dissident faction of the union apparatus, is terrified of Amazon and UPS workers linking up in a common struggle.
PayPal closes pro-Palestinian group’s account in collusion with Israeli government
By Jean Shaoul, 9 August 2018
PayPal’s action is part of a broader censorship drive by US technology and social media giants, working closely with US and Israeli intelligence agencies.
Fight back against internet censorship!
By Andre Damon, 9 August 2018
The principal aim of censorship has been, and remains, to shut down left-wing opposition to war, inequality and capitalism.
Technology giants use Germany’s Network Enforcement Law to delete tens of thousands of comments
By Christoph Vandreier, 3 August 2018
A review of the cases thus far confirms that this is not a struggle against “hate comments” or “fake news,” but the massive restriction of free speech.
Facebook deletes 87 accounts linked to Brazilian right as WhatsApp restricts messaging
By Miguel Andrade, 3 August 2018
Facebook, acting in deep coordination with the state and US imperialism, aims to legitimize police-state measures against social unrest and political opposition.
Facebook censorship targets the left
By Andre Damon, 3 August 2018
Facebook’s censorship of a major anti-fascist rally is a deliberate effort to repress and criminalize left-wing political views.
Facebook censors anti-fascist rally in Washington
By Andre Damon, 2 August 2018
The campaign to censor the internet, initially presented as a response to alleged Russian “meddling,” is increasingly targeting left-wing political viewpoints.
Resolution of the SEP (US) Fifth National Congress
Free Julian Assange!
2 August 2018
This resolution was unanimously adopted by the Socialist Equality Party Congress, held July 22–27.
Christine Assange, mother of WikiLeaks editor: “I’ve not been able to speak to my son for four months”
By Richard Phillips, 24 July 2018
“I say defend Julian, not just because I’m his mother, but as a citizen and someone who believes in democracy and freedom.”
Defend Julian Assange!—Mobilise against threat to WikiLeaks founder!
By Paul Mitchell, 24 July 2018
Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno is in London this week and behind the scenes he is involved in a conspiracy with the British, US and Australian governments to evict WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange.
Open letter to NZ nurses’ Facebook group: Reverse the ban on WSWS articles and criticisms of the union
By Socialist Equality Group (New Zealand), 12 July 2018
In the lead-up to today’s nationwide strike by health workers, the administrators of “New Zealand, please hear our voice” deleted WSWS articles and many comments criticising the union’s attempt to shut down the movement.
Technology giants hold censorship meeting with US intelligence agencies
By Will Morrow, 27 June 2018
The Washington Post described the meeting as a “new overture by the technology industry to develop closer ties to law enforcement.”
Three months on: Oxford Union refuses to tell truth about why whistleblowing panel debate is censored
By Zach Reed, 26 June 2018
The only explanation for deciding not to publish the video is that ex-CIA operative David Shedd demanded its suppression.
After six years confinement: WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange in great danger
By Mike Head, 21 June 2018
Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson said yesterday his situation is “very difficult” and Ecuador was “under significant pressure from the US” to force him to leave its London embassy.
Assange is being punished for exposing state secrecy and the reality of war
By Linda Tenenbaum, 21 June 2018
SEP national committee member Linda Tenenbaum told the Sydney rally that the event was to initiate an international movement in defence of Assange and basic democratic rights.
The persecution of Assange is an attempt to silence mass anti-war sentiment
By Evrim Yazgin, 21 June 2018
Evrim Yazgin, International Youth and Students for Social Equality president at the University of Melbourne, explained how Assange’s struggle for the truth had politicised a generation of young people.
Educators internationally must stand up for Julian Assange
By Sue Phillips, 21 June 2018
Committee For Public Education national convenor Sue Phillips told the Sydney rally that the defence of Assange is intimately connected to the fight for the democratic and social rights of students, educators and the working class.
Workers at SEP rally in Sydney demand freedom for Julian Assange
By our reporters, 21 June 2018
“Julian fights for peace and defends democratic rights.”
Protesters at Ecuador embassy vigil in London demand freedom for Julian Assange
By our reporters, 21 June 2018
The World Socialist Web Site spoke to some of those attending Tuesday evening’s vigil in London for WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange.
The Turnbull government must act to repatriate Australian citizen Julian Assange to Australia
By James Cogan, 19 June 2018
This speech was delivered by James Cogan, the national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Australia, to a rally organised by the SEP in defence of Julian Assange last Sunday in Sydney.
Bringing Julian Assange Home
By John Pilger, 19 June 2018
Addressing last Sunday's SEP rally in Sydney, well-known filmmaker and documentarian, John Pilger exposed the role of Labor and Coalition governments, along with prominent journalists and editors in the ongoing persecution of Julian Assange.
More voices from the Sydney rally to free Julian Assange
By our reporters, 19 June 2018
“Freedom of thought and expression is what this kind of rally brings. They’re trying to make an example out of Assange to silence all of us.”
UK residents demand release of Julian Assange, support international vigils
By our reporters, 19 June 2018
Leading up to today’s vigil at the Ecuador Embassy in London, the SEP in Britain has been contacted with messages of support, demanding freedom for WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange.