Beyond the Filter
Beyond the Filter is a podcast about censorship. It includes censorship through laws, self-censorship, and corporate censorship. It includes censorship of art and fiction, censorship of political dissent, and censorship of self-expression, especially when it comes to sex and gender. It also looks at the reasons why we censor, the effects of censorship, and alternatives to censorship.
Episodes
In this episode of Beyond the Filter, Brandy and Jeremy host Varsha Vaishali, founder of Cyber Harassment Support, to explore the multifaceted issue of cyber harassment. They delve into practical support strategies, the evolving landscape of online abuse, and innovative solutions to make digital spaces safer for all.
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In the season finale of Beyond the Filter, Jeremy and Brandy are joined by Shambhawi Paudel (ILGA Asia) and Mar Díaz (digital rights and LGBTQ advocate) for a wide-ranging conversation on censorship, platform power, and queer expression across Europe and Asia.
In this episode of Beyond the Filter, Brandy and Jeremy examine how gender-based harm is being amplified by digital platforms and AI tools, using the recent Grok scandal on X as a case study. The chatbot’s ability to generate sexualized, non-consensual images of real women and girls exposed serious failures in platform governance and safeguards beyond-the-filter-ep-11.
This episode discusses Australia’s groundbreaking social media minimum age law, which mandates that platforms block users under 16. The conversation explores the implications of this law on free expression, mental health, cyberbullying, and the responsibilities of both the government and parents. It also delves into the enforcement challenges and the potential impact on adult users’ privacy...
In this special edition of Beyond the Filter, hosts Brandy Brightman and Jeremy Malcolm present the global launch of the Drawing the Line Watchlist—a groundbreaking report examining how ten countries around the world are increasingly blurring the line between personal expression (art, fiction, advocacy, consensual adult material) and lived abuse involving real victims.
Hosts Brandy and Jeremy talk with Dr. Craig Harper of Nottingham Trent University about his research on whether fantasy sexual materials—like AI-generated images, cartoons, or sex dolls—are linked to real-world offending.
Dr. Harper explains that, despite common policy assumptions, there’s no evidence such materials increase risk. Across multiple studi...
Brandy and Jeremy unpack the political turmoil after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. They highlight the double standards in how violence is mourned across party lines and how Kirk’s death was used to justify sweeping crackdowns—from visa cancellations to labeling Antifa a terrorist group.
The hosts then explore the suspension of Jimm...
Brandy and Jeremy speak with journalist Michael McGrady Jr about two growing threats to online sexual expression: financial censorship and age verification laws. They discuss recent crackdowns, including the financial censorship of adult games on Steam and itch.io, and the effects of the UK’s Online Safety Act requiring ID checks for many sites. Michael explains how these measures harm ...
In this episode of Beyond the Filter, hosts Jeremy and Brandy delve into the creation of Fan Refuge, a new social media platform designed for fans by fans. Jeremy shares insights into how Fan Refuge aims to provide a censorship-free space while ensuring user safety through innovative tools and community guidelines. Discover the challenges and inspirations behind this project, and learn how Fan Refuge p...
In this episode, hosts Jeremy and Brandy speak with F15-H (Fish), an artist from Hong Kong now living in mainland China, about a shocking wave of arrests targeting fanfiction writers on the Chinese platform MyHD Books. Over 500 authors—predominantly young women and college students—were arrested in May on charges of public indecency, facing penalties of up to 10 years in prison simply for w...
This month on Beyond the Filter, Brandy and Jeremy are joined by Aurélie Petit, PhD candidate in Film Studies at Concordia University and author of the recent Porn Studies article The Limits of Zero Tolerance Policies for Animated Pornographic Media.
Together, they explore the complex and often contradictory ways digital platforms moderate animated sexual content. Why i...
Under Trump and Project 2025, censorship isn’t creeping in — it’s charging full force. From gutting public media and defunding the arts to banning words like “diversity” and “trauma,” the far-right agenda aims to erase marginalized voices, rewrite culture, and muzzle dissent. By reviving the Comstock Act, weaponizing the FCC, and attacking DEI and online speech...
In the inaugural episode of Beyond the Filter, hosts Jeremy Malcolm and Brandy Brightman discuss the complexities of censorship in the digital age. They explore how censorship is often driven by moral panic, particularly around issues of safety and sexuality, and how it can backfire, leading to more harm than good. The conversation highlights the importance of creating safe online spaces that respect f...
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