June 27, 2025

Ed. note: The Daily Media Update will return Tuesday, July 1.

In the News

USA Today: Mahmoud Khalil’s case, his free speech rights and the legal battle ahead: What to know

By BrieAnna J. Frank

.....David Keating, president of the Institute for Free Speech, said he doesn’t think international students or visa holders should “take any comfort from (Khalil's release) at all."

While Khalil's case garnered publicity and resources for his defense, Keating said that may not be the case for others if the Trump administration targets student protesters at a larger scale.  

The administration’s actions thus far stand to have a “pretty stark” chilling effect on students, he said, adding that they may prompt some to reconsider their plans to study in the U.S. 

“I think we’re sending a really bad lesson about freedoms in America,” Keating said. “We should be a beacon of freedom to the world, and I think one way to do that is to let even temporary visitors express their political views.” 

New from the Institute for Free Speech

Amicus Brief: Proposition 211 Is Unconstitutional

.....Arizona’s Proposition 211 chills speech by imposing sweeping disclosure rules unlike anything seen before, covering more people, more speech, and a longer period of time than any of its predecessors. 

Proposition 211 often captures speech by organizations unrelated to any election or campaign, forcing them to publicly identify contributors who donate more than $5,000. These rules deter many from donating due to fear of retaliation for their political views. Because Arizona’s state constitution “provides broader protections for free speech than the First Amendment,” the law impairs the right to “freely speak.”  

That’s why the Institute for Free Speech filed a brief of amicus curiae before the Supreme Court of Arizona urging the court to deem the law unconstitutional and facially invalid. 

Supreme Court

Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton

.....Ed. note: The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton is available here.

The Courts

Washington Post: Palestinian American girl sues school after refusing Pledge of Allegiance

By Vivian Ho

.....The father of a 14-year-old Michigan student is suing his daughter’s school district and teacher on her behalf, alleging she was repeatedly humiliated and told to “go back to your country” when she refused to stand for and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The complaint was filed Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and the Arab American Civil Rights League acting for Jacob Khalaf on behalf of his daughter, Danielle Khalaf, who is a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent. She was attending East Middle School in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools District at the time of the incident.

Politico: Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for $787M in defamation case over Trump call

By Tyler Katzenberger

.....Gavin Newsom is taking a page right out of Donald Trump’s media playbook.

The California governor accused Fox News of defamation in a lawsuit Friday morning, alleging the network should fork over $787 million after host Jesse Watters claimed Newsom lied about his phone calls with Trump, who ordered National Guard troops to Los Angeles this month. Newsom’s lawyers argue Watters’ program misleadingly edited a video of Trump to support the claim.

AP News: Federal judge weighs whether Alabama’s anti-DEI law threatens First Amendment

By Safiyah Riddle

.....Professors and students at the University of Alabama testified on Thursday that a new an anti-diversity, equity and inclusion law has jeopardized funding and changed curriculum, as a federal judge weighs whether the legislation is constitutional before the new school year begins.

The new state law, SB129, followed a slew of proposals from Republican lawmakers across the country taking aim at DEI programs on college campuses. Universities across the country have shuttered or rebranded student affinity groups and DEI offices.

Center Square (Georgia): Judge says Georgia's age verification law curbs free speech

By Kim Jarrett

.....A U.S. District Court judge granted a preliminary injunction Thursday that halts the Protecting Georgia’s Children on Social Media Act of 2024.

NetChoice, a trade organization representing apps like Facebook and Instagram, is challenging the law in a case in the U.S. Northern District of Georgia. It would have required submitting proof of age before accessing social media sites.

Judge Amy Totenberg said in the 50-page ruling that the law is constitutionally infirm.

Trump Administration

Reason: Student Visa Applicants Will Now Be Forced To Make Their Social Media Accounts Public

By Emma Camp

.....In a Monday announcement, several U.S. embassies stated that student visa applicants will be required to turn the settings on their social media accounts to "public" in order to facilitate scrutiny of their posts, presumably for ideological screening. The change is part of a recent string of crackdowns on international students, which has targeted many who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests or expressed anti-Israel views.

Independent Groups

The City: Cuomo Backers Dumped $87 Per Vote Into a Losing Cause — and Some Donors Are Now Vowing to Spend More

By Greg B. Smith

.....The collapse of Andrew Cuomo’s campaign for City Hall did not come cheap.

Between the $5.5 million his campaign spent and the $26 million that came from generously funded independent expenditure committees that supported him or attacked his chief rival, Zohran Mamdani, his losing effort came to $87 per vote.

Mamdani, by contrast, spent $6 million from his campaign but got far less support ($1.8 million) from independent expenditure committees supporting him or attacking Cuomo — and still managed to best his rival by spending not quite $19 per vote.

Online Speech Platforms

New York Times: A.I. Is Starting to Wear Down Democracy

By Steven Lee Myers and Stuart A. Thompson

.....In the unusually concentrated wave of elections that took place in 2024, A.I. was used in more than 80 percent, according to the International Panel on the Information Environment, an independent organization of scientists based in Switzerland.

It documented 215 instances of A.I. in elections that year, based on government statements, research and news reports. Already this year, A.I. has played a role in at least nine more major elections, from Canada to Australia.

In India, the practice of cloning candidates became commonplace — “not only to reach voters but also to motivate party workers,” according to a study by the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin.

At the same time, however, dozens of deepfakes — photographs or videos that recreate real people — used A.I. to clone voices of candidates or news broadcasts. According to the International Panel on the Information Environment’s survey, A.I. was characterized as having a harmful role in 69 percent of the cases.

Not all uses were nefarious. In 25 percent of the cases the panel surveyed, candidates used A.I. for themselves, relying on it to translate speeches and platforms into local dialects and to identify blocs of voters to reach.

The States

Center Square (Maine): Censure of Maine lawmaker Laurel Libby reversed

By Chris Wade

.....A four-month legislative censure against a Maine Republican representative came to an end this week.

The state House of Representatives voted Wednesday night to fully restore Rep. Laurel Libby's speaking and voting privileges after she posted critical social media comments about transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports. 

The move reversed a February vote that had prevented the Auburn lawmaker from speaking on the House floor or voting on bills until she publicly apologized for her comments. It comes nearly a month after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Libby's censure vote.

"This is a victory not just for me — but for every Mainer who believes in the rule of law, the First Amendment, and the right to be represented in their government," Libby said. "The Democrats caved because they knew they were losing in court. They’ve now been forced to admit what the Constitution has said all along: elected representatives cannot be silenced for speaking the truth.”

Carolina Journal: General Assembly sends donor privacy bill to governor’s desk

.....Senate Bill 416, titled the Personal Privacy Protection Act, cleared both chambers of the General Assembly — passing 63–46 in the House on Wednesday and 32–15 in the Senate in May. After a quick Senate concurrence vote to approve minor changes made in the House version, the bill now sits on the desk of Gov. Josh Stein for consideration.