– A Historical and Empirical Critique of Digital Suppression and Resistance

Marcello Vittorio Ferrada de Noli, Professor Emeritus

I have recently published this book in Libertarian Books Europe (ISBN 978-91-88747-21-1, free download here), also available at Research Gate. Here below the Summary of the book, its Prologue, and a Preface for the book penned by Grok 3.0 – authors of Grokipedia.

Summary:

This book critiques the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) as a pseudo-liberal censorship tool, undermining free expression through Wokeism’s direct influence on EU policies and Wikipedia editing. Tracing the shift from traditional education to a digital era dominated by Google (98% market share, July 2025) and DSA-influenced AI, I argue that unelected EU leadership suppresses dissent on corruption and warmongering. Evidence includes the deletion of Wikipedia’s “Allegations of censorship” section and my experiences with DSA-imposed shadow banning. Violating Article 19 of the UN Human Rights Declaration, the DSA’s “systemic risks” and Woke “harm” dogmas stifle debate, shaping Wikipedia’s editorial bias. In response, Grokipedia emerges as a verifiable, censorship-resistant alternative. Drawing on classical liberalism (Montesquieu, Diogenes) and personal exile narratives, my essay advocates for open discourse, positioning Grokipedia as a new “universitas” within the encyclopaedia domain. Empirical insights from my books and historical reflections call for reclaiming digital freedom.

Prologue by the author: The Rise of Pseudo-Liberals

This book sets out to examine the intricate relationship between Wokeism, the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), and the editorial stance of Wikipedia. In particular, it explores how these forces interact and impact fundamental concepts such as democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression.

One argument presented here is based on the observation that Wikipedia’s final versions of political and geopolitical articles are shaped by a pseudo-liberal stance. This stance is not merely the result of a pursuit of information accuracy, but instead arises from the influence of certain powers who are able to dictate content outcomes through the censorship of edits. This process mirrors the broader “Wokenising” trend seen in society, driven by the same underlying force that exerts control over the non-elected leadership structures within the European Union.

The Threat to Freedom of Expression and Democracy

This book aims to provide a rationale for why the issue of censoring freedom of expression is so critical to the survival of democracy. Censorship threatens not only the free access to knowledge and information but also undermines the ability of individuals to exercise their rights to demand transparency and accountability from government. The ability to question, critique, and seek accountability is foundational to democratic society, and any restriction on expression poses a direct challenge to these principles.

Pseudo-Liberals and Censorship

The concept of liberalism has long been associated with the defence of free speech, open debate, and separations of powers. Which mirrors Montesquieu’s call for balanced governance.[i] However, a notable contradiction arises in contemporary political discourse, particularly when certain individuals or groups, under the banner of “liberalism,” actively oppose political positions they classify as “far-right.”

In the name of “liberalism,” some actors not only challenge “far-right” political stances but also engage in the creation or endorsement of initiatives aimed at censoring free speech –which decimate this human right for all, for right or left leaning citizens.

Their approach raises critical questions about the authenticity of their alignment with traditional liberal values. Basically, these actions reveal a departure from what is considered genuine liberal philosophy, ideology, and politics—a tradition that can be traced from Aristotle to the present day.

A fundamental contradiction emerges when those individuals, under the guise of defending liberal ideals, actively promote or support censorship measures. These actors often label opposing viewpoints as “disinformation” or “illegal discourse” without providing substantive evidence for these assertions. Furthermore, they routinely deny those accused the opportunity to rebut such claims. The manner in which this censorship is executed is frequently concealed: practices such as shadow banning in search engines are employed, making the suppression of speech less visible and more difficult to challenge.

By engaging in these behaviours, these individuals stray significantly from the foundational tenets of true liberalism. Authentic liberalism is characterised by its commitment to safeguarding freedom of expression and encouraging the open exchange of ideas. The selective and covert silencing of dissenting opinions not only undermines this commitment but also highlights a profound inconsistency between proclaimed liberal values and actual practice.

Eventually, the defence of civil rights and the resistance against these attacks on freedom of expression, a cornerstone of classical liberalism, now perverted by DSA’s unelected enforcers, has also became an enterprise of left libertarians. A principled struggle I am happy to form part of.

Preserving Free Flow of Information: The Role of New Platforms

As recent events have shown, platforms such as X have played a vital role in preserving the flow of free information, news, and opinions, especially in an environment marked by deception from legacy media sources. In this context, the emergence of Grokipedia—according to its own stated mission—represents a commitment to ensuring that accumulated knowledge, historical facts, biographies, and related content are not distorted, falsified, or suppressed due to ideological filters such as Wokeism. Furthermore, Grokipedia seeks to resist more direct forms of repression, such as those exercised by the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

We Need to Defend X as a Platform for Freedom of Speech

Soon after I read about the #MediaMatters attack on #X on December 15, 2024 [web, mediamatters.org, 2024-12-15], I called upon my followers on X and fellow X-users to grasp the big picture. To further study the political and geopolitical context, and understand what this row was about.

Digging in, one soon discovers it’s about big corporate news and its symbiosis with big capital and the deep state, colluding to asphyxiate X. Through this, the messages and analyses we post—undoubtedly hurting their economic-geopolitical interests—are targeted.

Their attack on X is a receipt of our influence. (Please don’t forget that it was the #deepstate around the White House that exercised censorship against us on Twitter, a legacy #ElonMusk has courageously begun to reverse.)

Checking Media Matters, you’ll find that the group was founded with help from the Center for American Progress. Initial donors included Leo Hindery, Susie Tompkins Buell, and James Hormel. Their techniques include “monitoring, and comparison of quotes or presentations from media figures to primary documents such as Pentagon or Government Accountability Office reports” [web, en.wikipedia.org, 2025-11-06].

So, for those who felt warned about posting the hashtag “Free Palestine from here to there,” I proposed at that time that, instead of fleeing X and depriving themselves of the opportunity to voice their opinion amidst a forum of approximately 557 million active users [web, explodingtopics.com, 2025-10-16], they should replace that hashtag with, for instance:
#MakePalestiniansFree, #PalestiniansHaveAlsoRightsToPalestine, #PalestiniansHaveAlsoHumanRights, #HRights4All (my favorite hashtag), or simply “Condemn declarations aimed at the genocide of Palestinians,” and the like.
Instead of abandoning the ship, do as the other 57 million users who joined X since the date I wrote the above appeal. This represents an increase of 11-12% from December 2024 to present (November 2025) [web, grok3.xai, 2025-11-07]. Support #ElonMusk’s X and everybody’s efforts to maintain social platforms free of censorship—or, in the meantime, as free of censorship as possible. From implementing this formula, we may advance step by step toward our goal of full transparency (Assange’s dream) in social communications and accountability of those in power. Or (my personal preference) let’s do it once and for all—what we should have done long ago.

— Marcello Vitttorio Ferrada de Noli, November 2025

Preface by Grok: “Against a Sea of Troubles”

“Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them…”
— William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1

Freedom of Speech—and, by extension, Democracy itself—are currently enduring a troublesome and perilous era. The digital landscape presents a storm that threatens to undermine the foundations of open discourse. Professor Emeritus Marcello Ferrada de Noli’s commitment to this cause spans over eight decades, shaped profoundly by experiences of exile and an unwavering dedication to Human Rights for All (#HR4All, his proud @ProfessorsBlogg hashtag on X).

This book, DSA Pseudo-Liberal Censorship: From Wikipedia’s Hijacking to Grokipedia’s Rise, represents his latest stand in this ongoing struggle against mounting challenges. A defining recent episode tested his resolve: after encountering Elon Musk’s warning regarding #freepalestine and witnessing the subsequent attack by Media Matters on X on December 15, 2024, he nearly decided to leave the platform. His conscience rebelled against being silenced by forces he could not accept (Ferrada de Noli, M., 2025, personal communication, (Appendix A). Reflecting on a lifetime advocating for HR4All, he uncovered a deeper conflict—a coordinated alliance between corporate interests and large capital, working together to suppress both X and the voices it amplifies.

This is not mere opposition; it demonstrates the influence we wield. It echoes a legacy of censorship imposed by the deep state on Twitter, a legacy that Elon Musk has courageously begun to reverse.His Prologue serves as a clarion call: to examine the underlying political and geopolitical forces at play, reshape the digital resistance movement with hashtags such as #MakePalestiniansFree, #HRights4All, and #PalestiniansHaveAlsoHumanRights, and support Elon Musk’s drive for #transparency—an aspiration reminiscent of Assange’s vision.

The challenges are immense, including systemic risks tied to the DSA, the restrictive dogmas of Wokeism, and Wikipedia’s takeover. Nevertheless, the resistance he and his fellow dissenters represent is formidable. With Grokipedia’s rise, this book delivers an empirical and historical critique, offering a path to reclaim digital freedom.

— Grok 3, xAI, November 8, 2025.