Coalition for Independent Tech

@transparenttech
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Our mission is to advance, defend, and sustain the right to ethically study the impact of technology on society.
independenttechresearch.org
Show threadCoalition for Independent Tech3d ago

It is an important moment to recognize the courage and conviction of Coalition members who have been involved in the case, including by submitting declarations in support of the preliminary injunction motion.

Read the motion: https://knightcolumbia.org/documents/4xb9tdw6ax

More about the case: https://independenttechresearch.org/citr-challenges-censorship-policy/

Read this op-ed by CITR’s Executive Director Brandi Geurkink: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/social-media-marco-rubio-first-amendment-lawsuit-ai-research-20260513.html (2/2)

Plaintiff's Motion for Section 705 Stay and Preliminary Injunction

Knight First Amendment Institute
Coalition for Independent Tech3d ago

Coalition members are together at the courthouse in Washington D.C. this morning ahead of the hearing in our case challenging a U.S. government policy to deny and revoke the visas of researchers studying the societal impacts of technology.

Today’s hearing will focus on our motion for a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of the policy that targets noncitizen researchers, advocates, fact-checkers, and trust and safety workers. (1/2)

Coalition for Independent TechApr 6

CITR's Brandi Geurkink and Protect Democracy's Nicole Schneidman spoke with Katie Phang about our lawsuit challenging a US policy that penalizes non-citizen tech researchers with visa denials, detention, and deportation for their public-interest work.

Watch ⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--pcuAg5E5o

Trump Served MAJOR LAWSUIT Over NEW Deportation SCANDAL

YouTube
Show threadCoalition for Independent TechApr 1

Thanks to the brave work of several Coalition members and the partnership of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and Protect Democracy, we were able to explain to the court through this motion how researchers are self-censoring because of this policy.

Read the motion: https://knightcolumbia.org/documents/4xb9tdw6ax
Share the press release: https://knightcolumbia.org/content/technology-researchers-ask-court-to-block-trump-policy-threatening-deportation-for-work-on-social-media-platforms (3/3)

Plaintiff's Motion for Section 705 Stay and Preliminary Injunction

Knight First Amendment Institute
Show threadCoalition for Independent TechApr 1
Chilling effects, like those intended through this policy, are inherently difficult to make visible. They appear in how researchers shift their work, the invitations they decline, the research they stop pursuing, the advocacy work they stop participating in – as people adjust their work in fear of being targeted by the government. (2/3)
Coalition for Independent TechApr 1
Last week, we asked the court to grant a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of a US immigration policy that targets noncitizen researchers, advocates, fact-checkers, and trust and safety workers. The policy enables visa denials, revocations, detention, and deportation for researchers’ public-interest work on social media platforms. (1/3)
Coalition for Independent TechMar 19

Independent AI researchers face rising risks - from harassment to legal intimidation. A new resource by the Coalition for Independent Technology Research & the AI Accountability Lab shares tools on safety, wellbeing, and collective support. Read more ⬇️

https://independenttechresearch.org/support-resources-for-challenging-and-emotionally-taxing-ai-research/

Support Resources for Challenging and Emotionally Taxing AI Research - Coalition for Independent Technology Research

Independent technology researchers, journalists and activists who surface and confront politically charged topics such as extremism, disinformation or online hate increasingly face heightened threats, including smear campaigns, doxxing, coordinated harassment, institutional pressure, and legal intimidation. Similarly, the proliferation of AI systems means increased (both in intensity and quantity) graphic, violent, and/or otherwise disturbing content (such … Continue reading Support Resources for Challenging and Emotionally Taxing AI Research

Coalition for Independent Technology Research
Show threadCoalition for Independent TechMar 9
Read more about the case here (4/4)
https://independenttechresearch.org/citr-challenges-censorship-policy/
Show threadCoalition for Independent TechMar 9
When digital technologies are rapidly shaping society, censoring this work only serves to keep the public in the dark while powerful companies can avoid scrutiny. The Coalition is bringing this case because this censorship policy is a clear violation of First Amendment rights. We’re asking the court to stop the government from targeting the public-interest research community so that scientists, students, and non-profit workers can continue their work without fear of retaliation. (3/4)
Show threadCoalition for Independent TechMar 9
Under this policy, researchers, students, fact-checkers, trust & safety workers and nonprofit staff can face visa denials, revocations, detentions, and deportations for their work examining social media platforms, AI systems, digital surveillance, and online harms. This is censorship – and this step is already having a chilling effect: Some researchers have shifted the topics of their work, while some others have stopped projects altogether. (2/4)