- Well-meaning progressives often argue for speech-suppressing laws to prevent authoritarianism, but history shows these laws are eventually weaponized by the powerful to silence critics.
- In Mexico, laws designed to protect the marginalized, such as against gender-based political violence, are being used to imprison journalists and suppress satire, as seen in the case of politician Mara Chama Villa and Radio Teocelo.
- The chilling effects are widespread, with fines, mandatory apologies, and registry placements used against reporters, while activists and crime reporters also face sanctions under similar laws, leading to self-censorship.
- Such laws are defended as combating unacceptable acts like gender-based violence or terrorism, but their broad application makes them tools for abuse, as no one can oppose them without seeming to support those evils.