Y
HN HRCB new | past | comments | ask | show | by right | domains | dashboard | about hrcb
+0.08 Spain’s LaLiga has blocked access to freedom.gov (twitter.com)
211 points by akyuu 2 days ago | 242 comments on HN | Neutral Mixed · vv3.4 · 2026-02-24
Article Heatmap
Preamble: +0.15 — Preamble P Article 1: +0.15 — Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood 1 Article 2: +0.10 — Non-Discrimination 2 Article 3: +0.10 — Life, Liberty, Security 3 Article 4: 0.00 — No Slavery 4 Article 5: 0.00 — No Torture 5 Article 6: 0.00 — Legal Personhood 6 Article 7: 0.00 — Equality Before Law 7 Article 8: 0.00 — Right to Remedy 8 Article 9: 0.00 — No Arbitrary Detention 9 Article 10: 0.00 — Fair Hearing 10 Article 11: 0.00 — Presumption of Innocence 11 Article 12: -0.30 — Privacy 12 Article 13: +0.25 — Freedom of Movement 13 Article 14: +0.20 — Asylum 14 Article 15: 0.00 — Nationality 15 Article 16: 0.00 — Marriage & Family 16 Article 17: -0.25 — Property 17 Article 18: +0.30 — Freedom of Thought 18 Article 19: +0.05 — Freedom of Expression 19 Article 20: +0.20 — Assembly & Association 20 Article 21: +0.25 — Political Participation 21 Article 22: +0.20 — Social Security 22 Article 23: +0.10 — Work & Equal Pay 23 Article 24: +0.15 — Rest & Leisure 24 Article 25: +0.30 — Standard of Living 25 Article 26: +0.25 — Education 26 Article 27: +0.20 — Cultural Participation 27 Article 28: +0.10 — Social & International Order 28 Article 29: -0.15 — Duties to Community 29 Article 30: 0.00 — No Destruction of Rights 30
Negative Neutral Positive No Data
Aggregates
Weighted Mean +0.08 Unweighted Mean +0.08
Max +0.30 Article 18 Min -0.30 Article 12
Signal 31 No Data 0
Confidence 40% Volatility 0.14 (Low)
Negative 3 Channels E: 0.5 S: 0.5
SETL ND
Evidence: High: 0 Medium: 10 Low: 10 No Data: 11
Theme Radar
Foundation Security Legal Privacy & Movement Personal Expression Economic & Social Cultural Order & Duties Foundation: 0.13 (3 articles) Security: 0.03 (3 articles) Legal: 0.00 (6 articles) Privacy & Movement: 0.04 (4 articles) Personal: 0.02 (3 articles) Expression: 0.17 (3 articles) Economic & Social: 0.19 (4 articles) Cultural: 0.23 (2 articles) Order & Duties: -0.02 (3 articles)
Domain Context Profile
Element Modifier Affects Note
Privacy -0.15
Article 12 Article 19
Twitter/X maintains extensive user data collection and tracking practices; privacy policy permits broad data use and sharing
Terms of Service -0.10
Article 19 Article 20
Terms permit content moderation and account suspension with limited transparency; restrictions on expression enforcement
Accessibility +0.05
Article 25
Platform provides some accessibility features but gaps remain in comprehensive coverage
Mission +0.10
Article 19 Article 20
Platform mission includes free expression and public discourse, though enforcement inconsistent
Editorial Code —
No formal editorial code observable on domain
Ownership -0.05
Article 19
Private corporate ownership; editorial decisions not subject to public governance
Access Model +0.10
Article 19 Article 25
Free access tier enables broad participation; freemium model provides baseline access
Ad/Tracking -0.15
Article 12
Extensive behavioral tracking and profiling for advertising; limited opt-out mechanisms
HN Discussion 20 top-level comments
Hikikomori 2026-02-22 20:49 UTC link
Are they restreaming football?
everdrive 2026-02-22 20:54 UTC link
The most obvious outcome possible.I was never able to load the website myself, but if you centralize things to a specific website, it's trivial to block it. Since I could never load the site, I don't know if they had any plans outside of just putting up a website. If not, this was incredibly stupid.
jmclnx 2026-02-22 20:56 UTC link
No surprise with that, I would think other countries will do the same.

But as we all know, there are ways around that for people who really have to go there.

mschuster91 2026-02-22 20:57 UTC link
No surprise, it's Cloudflare:

    $ host freedom.gov
    freedom.gov has address 172.67.219.106
    $ whois 172.67.219.106
    NetRange:       172.64.0.0 - 172.71.255.255
    CIDR:           172.64.0.0/13
    NetName:        CLOUDFLARENET
A lot of Cloudflare is netblocked during soccer games in Spain, this has been a thing for years now.

This is not a dedicated block against freedom.gov, it's just the ordinary collateral damage from the fight against sports piracy. Sigh.

The truly fun fact here rather is that the US government seems to be unable to host a website on its own these days but needs Cloudflare's protection. It's either a grift, a hack job / MVP demo or every last competent person in IT there has departed or been DOGE'd off. Ridiculous.

embedding-shape 2026-02-22 20:59 UTC link
FWIW, Vodafone ES still resolves freedom.gov fine via their own DNS resolver. They're usually very block happy, can't access Anna's, TBP and also not Cloudflare during La Liga games normally, as some examples. But freedom.gov still resolves seemingly.

Can any other Spaniards confirm if freedom.gov still resolves for them?

As a side-note, I don't know why anyone would want to block that website in the first place? Barely has any information about what it is, and doesn't seem to be able to be used for anything as of today either.

13415 2026-02-22 21:01 UTC link
That seems a bit fast since nothing is on that ridiculously looking website yet, but if this website is planning to host content that is illegal in the EU, then it will be blocked by many EU countries. Usually, these blocks aren't very effective. My country blocks most piratebay domains, for instance.
stackghost 2026-02-22 21:14 UTC link
Perhaps Europe should put up a portal to bypass American copyright restrictions. Free speech, and all that.
mrtksn 2026-02-22 21:18 UTC link
It's misleading title, not Spain as the government but LaLiga(a sports organization) abused its given powers and apparently demanded that ISPs block the site.

So it's very American style censorship in principle, that is it is censorship for profit reasons HOWEVER it is wrong in this particular instance because freedom.gov hadn't infringe copyrights. Nothing political despite what the title may make you believe so, purely internal issue. Italians are having similar problems with their football streaming organizations.

rock_artist 2026-02-22 21:19 UTC link
It’s sad that most comments are just focusing on political bashing instead of the root problem here.

It’s the fact LaLiga and Spanish ISPs comply.

They’re “carpet” blocking entire IPs of Cloudflare.

Every weekend if I need to access some of my work websites which are affected by this (while there are football games) - I need to VPN to bypass the blocking.

I’m new in Spain so my ability of surfacing the Spanish law or the European is limited. But I really wish they’ll have to find a nicer approach instead of this aggressive approach.

mocmoc 2026-02-22 21:23 UTC link
Spain living in 2010’s tech
redbell 2026-02-22 21:24 UTC link
For those wondering what is this freedom.gov thing, it was discussed here a few days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47067270
EugeneOZ 2026-02-22 21:27 UTC link
Just checked - not blocked, works just fine (Adamo and Vodafone).
aucisson_masque 2026-02-22 22:26 UTC link
The situation in Spain with laligua is becoming crazy, completely crazy.
drnick1 2026-02-23 01:21 UTC link
It's sad to see that, in Spain, the soccer mafia controls the country.
hedora 2026-02-23 02:23 UTC link
Ignoring the disastrous policies of the Spanish government, I find it telling that this was the year when it finally became worth it to pay to VPN out of the US, and also the year when this freedom.gov propaganda thing launched.
carlosbaraza 2026-02-23 07:12 UTC link
I have commented this in multiple occasions. What is happening here in Spain with LaLiga is just absurd. My company's domain gets blocked often because we use CloudFlare. In essence, any service using CloudFlare gets blocked often. The main problem is that the common Joe tries to navigate and finds that it doesn't work, and they blame their network, and when they come back two hours later after the game finished, the website works, so they move on. The only way for this to get resolved is if they blocked something critical and an accident happened because of that (e.g. hospital services, traffic control, or something like that). Eventually this will escalate to national courts (currently this was dictated by a regional court in Barcelona). But again, legal action is extremely slow. VPNs are becoming a must everywhere, because the Internet is becoming wild from all directions.
morissette 2026-02-23 07:16 UTC link
It looks like a landing page… wth is freedom.gov?
mezod 2026-02-23 10:28 UTC link
if Spain does that to protect LaLiga football games, god knows what they do against political rivals or movements such as Catalonia in 2017...or now?
ionwake 2026-02-23 11:42 UTC link
Whe you realise the most culturally important things in Spain were dragonball and football this all starts to make more sense. I don’t know if this still is the case but it seems so.
aprilnya 2026-02-23 13:16 UTC link
great website explaining the situation for anyone not familiar: https://hayahora.futbol

(language switcher in the top right)
Score Breakdown
+0.15
Preamble Preamble
Low P: Platform architecture enables human dignity discourse and equal worth expression
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Insufficient content data on target status URL. Structural assessment based on platform's role in facilitating human speech; cannot assess editorial lean without access to actual tweet content.

+0.15
Article 1 Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood
Low P: Platform enables expression of equality principle
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable editorial content on target URL. Structural score reflects platform's baseline support for public discourse.

+0.10
Article 2 Non-Discrimination
Low P: Platform accessible regardless of status
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Content URL inaccessible for direct observation. Structural assessment based on platform design enabling broad access.

+0.10
Article 3 Life, Liberty, Security
Low P: Platform supports expression of right to life
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Insufficient content data. Generic structural score for platform enabling safety-related discourse.

0.00
Article 4 No Slavery
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable editorial or structural signals related to slavery prohibition on target URL.

0.00
Article 5 No Torture
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable signals related to torture prohibition on target URL.

0.00
Article 6 Legal Personhood
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable content related to right to recognition before law on target URL.

0.00
Article 7 Equality Before Law
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable signals regarding equal protection before law on target URL.

0.00
Article 8 Right to Remedy
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable content related to effective remedy for rights violations on target URL.

0.00
Article 9 No Arbitrary Detention
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable signals regarding arbitrary arrest/detention on target URL.

0.00
Article 10 Fair Hearing
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable content related to fair trial/due process on target URL.

0.00
Article 11 Presumption of Innocence
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable signals regarding criminal law on target URL.

-0.30
Article 12 Privacy
Medium P: Extensive tracking and data collection by platform
Editorial
ND
Structural
-0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform implements behavioral tracking and profiling for user targeting. Domain context modifier applied for privacy practices affecting Article 12 and ad_tracking signals.

+0.25
Article 13 Freedom of Movement
Low P: Platform enables geographic discourse and movement-related speech
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform supports expression across geographic boundaries. Access_model modifier reflects global free access tier enabling Article 13 exercise.

+0.20
Article 14 Asylum
Low P: Platform provides asylum-related discourse space
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform enables public discussion of refuge-related topics. Access_model modifier applied for baseline access supporting vulnerable populations' expression.

0.00
Article 15 Nationality
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable content related to right to nationality on target URL.

0.00
Article 16 Marriage & Family
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable signals regarding marriage and family rights on target URL.

-0.25
Article 17 Property
Medium P: Platform data collection affects property/privacy nexus
Editorial
ND
Structural
-0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Tracking and data collection practices implicate property interests in personal data. Privacy modifier applied affecting both Article 12 and Article 17.

+0.30
Article 18 Freedom of Thought
Medium P: Platform enables freedom of conscience and belief expression
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.20
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform architecture enables expression of conscience, thought and belief across ideological spectrum. Mission modifier reflects stated commitment to public discourse.

+0.05
Article 19 Freedom of Expression
Medium P: Platform facilitates freedom of expression globally P: Content moderation and suspension practices
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform core function is speech facilitation with global reach. Net score reflects tension between enabling expression (mission +0.1, access_model +0.1) and moderation constraints (tos -0.1, ownership -0.05, privacy -0.15). Conservative regression toward zero given ambiguity.

+0.20
Article 20 Assembly & Association
Medium P: Platform enables peaceful assembly discussion P: Platform enables association discourse
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.20
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform enables organizing, coordination, and expression related to peaceful assembly and association. Mission modifier reflects platform support for public gathering discourse, offset by tos constraints.

+0.25
Article 21 Political Participation
Medium P: Platform enables political participation discourse
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform facilitates political discussion, voting information, and candidate engagement. Mission and access_model modifiers support democratic discourse accessibility.

+0.20
Article 22 Social Security
Low P: Platform enables labor/social rights discourse
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform supports discussion of social and labor rights. Access_model modifier reflects free participation enabling vulnerable populations' expression.

+0.10
Article 23 Work & Equal Pay
Low P: Platform enables work and labor rights discourse
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform facilitates discussion of employment and fair working conditions. No domain modifiers directly affect Article 23.

+0.15
Article 24 Rest & Leisure
Low P: Platform enables rest/leisure discussion
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform enables discourse on work-life balance and rest rights. Accessibility modifier applied reflecting platform's partial support for inclusive participation.

+0.30
Article 25 Standard of Living
Medium P: Platform enables health/welfare discourse P: Free access supports vulnerable populations
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform enables public health information sharing and welfare rights discussion. Combined modifiers: accessibility +0.05, access_model +0.1 reflect support for vulnerable populations' participation.

+0.25
Article 26 Education
Medium P: Platform enables education discourse
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.15
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform facilitates educational content sharing and learning-related discussion. Access_model modifier reflects free access enabling educational participation.

+0.20
Article 27 Cultural Participation
Medium P: Platform enables cultural/artistic expression
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.20
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform core function includes enabling artistic, musical, and cultural expression and participation. No net domain modifiers apply.

+0.10
Article 28 Social & International Order
Low P: Platform enables social order discourse
Editorial
ND
Structural
+0.10
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform facilitates discussion of social and international order. Insufficient specific evidence for higher scoring.

-0.15
Article 29 Duties to Community
Medium P: Platform moderation restricts expression P: Terms of Service limits on expression
Editorial
ND
Structural
-0.05
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

Structural: Platform imposes restrictions on expression through ToS and community guidelines. Tos modifier -0.1 reflects moderation and account suspension practices limiting expression exercise.

0.00
Article 30 No Destruction of Rights
Editorial
ND
Structural
0.00
SETL
ND
Combined
ND
Context Modifier
ND

No observable content related to prevention of UDHR destruction on target URL.
About HRCB | By Right | HN Guidelines | HN FAQ | Source | UDHR
build fc56cf0+0q5s · 2026-02-25 01:32 UTC