4 ms·

They classify Germany and the UK as democracies. That's precious. Germany has sanctioned its own journalists as has the UK. I don't remember the number of ordin

They classify Germany and the UK as democracies. That's precious. Germany has sanctioned its own journalists as has the UK. I don't remember the number of ordinary citizens arrested in Germany for social media posts but I know the UK number was 12000 per year. Now let's look at the US: Tucker Carlson is under the gun for allegedly being a Russian or is it Iranian agent. But the US is a democracy. https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-foreign-agent-charges-cia-doj-11679723 https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-foreign-agent-charge...

fer 7mo ago
> Germany has sanctioned its own journalists If we're talking about the same case, the EU sanctioned him, the man is at least dual citizen, and received Russian funds via his media company in Turkey, then proceeded to say it was all because it was about his coverage of Gaza. All of that is in the EU sanctions page, but "democratic" media coverage focused and pinned it on the Gaza bit. If you're talking about Thomas Röper (of Anti-Spiegel) and Alina Lipp, well, it's even more clear cut, not sure how are you trying to sell legal action against those as lack of democracy. It's disingenuous in the best case. Regarding UK, the 12k figure is real but related to all forms of communication, and by large involving threats, domestic violence and the like. Not for "social media posts". >Tucker Carlson is under the gun for allegedly being a Russian or is it Iranian agent. But the US is a democracy. Tucker Carlson took the grifter turn and makes money off it, not unlike Alex Jones. He'll behave like anything that can bring him manageable and profitable attention.
- SanjayMehta 7mo ago
  One sided sanctions on journalists for publishing is a sign of autocracy, something you'd expect Idi Amin to do, but then it's Germany, I guess the Austrian influence still exists after 90 years.
  - fer 7mo ago
    >everything I don't like is Nazi Calling autocracy the sanctioning someone for being on the literal payroll of RT, state media of a hostile country where extrajudicial executions of journalists were commonplace before Roscomnadzor was given near absolute powers over media is, again, a very hard sell.
    - SanjayMehta 7mo ago
      I disagree. As an amused third party I see no difference between Europe, the US, China, Russia. It's just that Europe and the US use more words to justify their censorship. Hypocrisy par supreme.
- SanjayMehta 7mo ago
  The guy with the Turkish name is not a dual citizen. https://www.counterfire.org/article/the-not-so-mysterious-disappearing-of-huseyin-dogru/ https://www.counterfire.org/article/the-not-so-mysterious-di...
InitialLastName 7mo ago
> UK number was 12000 per year. "Arrested for social media posts" including things that aren't protected speech anywhere (harassment, threats, incitement to violence). >Tucker Carlson is under the gun for allegedly being a Russian or is it Iranian agent. As critical as I am of the US administration (it wouldn't surprise me if they were investigating their critics, especially those who have large platforms and are openly supportive of adversaries), Tucker Carlson built his career by shilling conspiracies and persecution complexes. There's nobody here whose word you should take.
jojomodding 7mo ago
Do you have a source for the 12k arrested in the UK? I'm asking because all I could find was a list on Twitter that didn't cite any sources itself and also had very implausible numbers (including he 12k/year for the UK). Implausible based on the lived reality of friends of mine living in e.g. the UK or Germany.
- gzread 7mo ago
  And I want to know the social media posts they got arrested for
  - SanjayMehta 7mo ago
    How does it matter? You can't go around exporting your flavour of free speech at the point of a gun while arresting your own people for yapping on X. The definition of hypocrisy.
- SanjayMehta 7mo ago
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveforbes/2025/09/09/people-are-being-thrown-in-uk-prisons-over-what-theyve-said-online-can-free-speech-be-saved/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveforbes/2025/09/09/people-a...
- hunterpayne 7mo ago
  Its an extrapolation based upon UK government arrest figures. It assumes everyone arrested ended up in jail. I have no idea if that is true or not but there are already plenty of documented cases of jail time for social media posts. Hope this helps. PS 12k a year is more people than Russia jails a year for speech violations.
  - gzread 7mo ago
    What were the people saying?

fer 7mo ago

> Germany has sanctioned its own journalists If we're talking about the same case, the EU sanctioned him, the man is at least dual citizen, and received Russian funds via his media company in Turkey, then proceeded to say it was all because it was about his coverage of Gaza. All of that is in the EU sanctions page, but "democratic" media coverage focused and pinned it on the Gaza bit. If you're talking about Thomas Röper (of Anti-Spiegel) and Alina Lipp, well, it's even more clear cut, not sure how are you trying to sell legal action against those as lack of democracy. It's disingenuous in the best case. Regarding UK, the 12k figure is real but related to all forms of communication, and by large involving threats, domestic violence and the like. Not for "social media posts". >Tucker Carlson is under the gun for allegedly being a Russian or is it Iranian agent. But the US is a democracy. Tucker Carlson took the grifter turn and makes money off it, not unlike Alex Jones. He'll behave like anything that can bring him manageable and profitable attention.

SanjayMehta 7mo ago
One sided sanctions on journalists for publishing is a sign of autocracy, something you'd expect Idi Amin to do, but then it's Germany, I guess the Austrian influence still exists after 90 years.
- fer 7mo ago
  >everything I don't like is Nazi Calling autocracy the sanctioning someone for being on the literal payroll of RT, state media of a hostile country where extrajudicial executions of journalists were commonplace before Roscomnadzor was given near absolute powers over media is, again, a very hard sell.
  - SanjayMehta 7mo ago
    I disagree. As an amused third party I see no difference between Europe, the US, China, Russia. It's just that Europe and the US use more words to justify their censorship. Hypocrisy par supreme.
SanjayMehta 7mo ago
The guy with the Turkish name is not a dual citizen. https://www.counterfire.org/article/the-not-so-mysterious-disappearing-of-huseyin-dogru/ https://www.counterfire.org/article/the-not-so-mysterious-di...

InitialLastName 7mo ago

> UK number was 12000 per year. "Arrested for social media posts" including things that aren't protected speech anywhere (harassment, threats, incitement to violence). >Tucker Carlson is under the gun for allegedly being a Russian or is it Iranian agent. As critical as I am of the US administration (it wouldn't surprise me if they were investigating their critics, especially those who have large platforms and are openly supportive of adversaries), Tucker Carlson built his career by shilling conspiracies and persecution complexes. There's nobody here whose word you should take.

jojomodding 7mo ago

Do you have a source for the 12k arrested in the UK? I'm asking because all I could find was a list on Twitter that didn't cite any sources itself and also had very implausible numbers (including he 12k/year for the UK). Implausible based on the lived reality of friends of mine living in e.g. the UK or Germany.

gzread 7mo ago
And I want to know the social media posts they got arrested for
- SanjayMehta 7mo ago
  How does it matter? You can't go around exporting your flavour of free speech at the point of a gun while arresting your own people for yapping on X. The definition of hypocrisy.
SanjayMehta 7mo ago
https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveforbes/2025/09/09/people-are-being-thrown-in-uk-prisons-over-what-theyve-said-online-can-free-speech-be-saved/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveforbes/2025/09/09/people-a...
hunterpayne 7mo ago
Its an extrapolation based upon UK government arrest figures. It assumes everyone arrested ended up in jail. I have no idea if that is true or not but there are already plenty of documented cases of jail time for social media posts. Hope this helps. PS 12k a year is more people than Russia jails a year for speech violations.
- gzread 7mo ago
  What were the people saying?