The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a UK-based nonprofit, is under legal fire from America First Legal (AFL), which accuses CCDH of meddling in U.S. elections by promoting censorship and operating as an unregistered foreign agent. AFL, a pro-Republican legal organization, has formally urged the Department of Justice to investigate CCDH under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires entities working on behalf of foreign powers to register with the U.S. government.
AFL alleges CCDH has worked with the U.S. government to censor conservative voices online, with CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed spearheading campaigns such as “defund racism,” which AFL claims pressured Google to pull ads from conservative news sites like the Federalist and ZeroHedge. This advocacy, AFL argues, has contributed to a biased media landscape during a critical election season, raising questions about CCDH’s influence on American politics.
Founded by Morgan McSweeney, current chief of staff to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, CCDH’s ties to the UK’s Labour Party deepen the controversy. The organization, focused on reducing what it views as “hate speech” and “disinformation,” has targeted American media outlets, alleging they spread racist disinformation and conspiracy theories. Among CCDH’s targets are ads connected to topics like George Soros, claims about NIH’s funding of the Wuhan lab, and climate change skepticism.
AFL’s accusations against CCDH underscore growing tensions over digital freedom and election integrity, as allegations of foreign influence in U.S. media fuel debates about the limits of free speech and governmental intervention in digital spaces.
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