The situation is far more serious than what the title suggests. The MAGA regime is pursuing criminal prosecution against AI critics.
> the administration declared war on protestors and opponents of AI, threatening “criminal liability” if they “further the propaganda or other goals of a foreign power.”
This is literally the go-to playbook of Russia and China for silencing critics. Label every critic a foreign agent and use state violence to silence them.
I wish there wasn't someone serving a 30 year sentence for transporting zines basically because the government convinced a jury they were "antifa" zines.
The Trump administration IS instructing US Attorneys to go after such things, and juries are in some cases buying it. It's probably better if you aren't protesting a data center in Texas.
How does being critical of AI directly connect to a spurious association with antifa or any connection to a riot or shooting?
These two categories are different. I agree there is overreach in Sanchez's case however i don't know how one can assume the same will happen to some guy saying "AI bad"
If they were rioting; or connected to a rioting group, that might be different.
a connection to China (that the administration will insist is not spurious) is exactly what they are threatening to use to prosecute and imprison people organizing political campaigns or actions against data centers.
soraminazuki · · focus · HN ↗
> the administration declared war on protestors and opponents of AI, threatening “criminal liability” if they “further the propaganda or other goals of a foreign power.”
This is literally the go-to playbook of Russia and China for silencing critics. Label every critic a foreign agent and use state violence to silence them.
- <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/12/01/russia-new-restrictions-foreign-agents" rel="nofollow">https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/12/01/russia-new-restrictions-...
- <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-hong-kong-national-security-carrie-lam-democracy-302e0c36f6b1e64512d55626ed7f0a9e" rel="nofollow">https://apnews.com/article/china-hong-kong-national-security...
S-E-P · · focus · HN ↗
we are not Russia nor China thankfully, any litigation at this stage against an AI critic would fall flat.
In the future, maybe? However in the current climate it's just a bunch of empty words like the rest of the admin has been
jrochkind1 · · focus · HN ↗
<a href="https://theintercept.com/2026/06/23/prairieland-texas-ice-protest-prison-sentences/" rel="nofollow">https://theintercept.com/2026/06/23/prairieland-texas-ice-pr...
The Trump administration IS instructing US Attorneys to go after such things, and juries are in some cases buying it. It's probably better if you aren't protesting a data center in Texas.
S-E-P · · focus · HN ↗
How does being critical of AI directly connect to a spurious association with antifa or any connection to a riot or shooting?
These two categories are different. I agree there is overreach in Sanchez's case however i don't know how one can assume the same will happen to some guy saying "AI bad"
If they were rioting; or connected to a rioting group, that might be different.
jrochkind1 · · focus · HN ↗