The landscape of free expression is shifting in ways that demand attention. What was once covert is now openly coordinated—restrictions on speech flowing across borders, transcending political divides, implemented with increasing uniformity despite geographical differences. The mechanisms vary: legal pressure, institutional pressure, financial pressure. The coordination appears seamless.

This matters beyond abstract principles. The crypto and Web3 communities have built systems specifically designed to resist centralized control over information and transactions. Yet they operate within jurisdictions where speech rights themselves are becoming conditional. When regulators can suppress discourse about technology, markets, or governance, it creates an asymmetric playing field.

The question isn't whether governments can enforce rules—they can. The question is whether those rules preserve space for legitimate debate, technical discussion, and economic participation. Or whether the new normal is compliance through silence.