Although I’m best known for my heavily censored journalism, I am also a heavily censored musician.
Over just 48 hours, I have had to fight 9 different counts of censorship as the system continues to fail journalists, musicians and activists. Firstly, I was notified by YouTube of the geo-blocking of three videos about Nicole Junkermann’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in Germany. This was a sign that Nicole Junkermann was changing tactics slightly. She is clearly hyper-focused on hiding her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein from a German audience. Since the Epstein files began to be released, Nicole Junkermann is finding it increasingly difficult to hide her association with the child trafficking intelligence agent.
The next act of censorship was from David Sullivan’s people. They claimed to X that my Substack article on the abuse allegations levelled at him broke an anonymity order issued by a court. However, that narrow anonymity order is not a blanket ruling restricting all reporting on Sullivan’s organisations. In fact, the anonymity order only relates to a case that my article doesn’t refer to. He cannot use an anonymity order with a small remit to protect him from scrutiny in unrelated cases; however, X is allowing this to happen. Most of the big tech platforms have failed to do any due diligence in any of these matters. X hasn’t bothered even to check the case.
This is what anti-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) legislation is meant to prevent. However, none of the social media companies have mechanisms for responding to SLAPP tactics for those who have been accused of defamation, for vexatious DMCA claims, or other litigious practices meant to remove free speech.
Along with the YouTube geo-blocks and the X geo-block, my fight with Substack over the removal of four Junkermann articles came to a head. After my public legal wrangling over the previous three weeks, Junkermann’s people did not produce evidence of court action against me, and Substack returned the content. Not that Substack Team get away with a good review. They have failed to communicate effectively, and they also have seemingly secretly geo-blocked some of my Junkermann articles. That being said, it isn’t only my journalism which is being censored.
I have five albums of music ready to release before Christmas. I’ve been writing songs for 30 years, I have released a few albums in the past, and I find music a fantastic outlet for my frustrating journalist work. As with all musicians, my beliefs come out in my songs. I thought this was normal. However, I was informed yesterday that DittoMusic is refusing to put out one of my albums, You Are In My Head. Although they haven’t yet clearly intimated the direct reason, there is one track that is obviously the bone of contention: Evil Israeli Warmachine.
Ditto sent me this email on the morning of 20 November 2025:
Urgent problem with your release: You Are In My Head
Hello Johnny Vedmore,
We’ve noticed a problem with your release You Are In My Head and cannot process your order until the issue has been resolved.
Please check that your release conforms to the following rules:
– In compliance with music platform guidelines your release contains content that is deemed insensitive or showing political or cultural bias. For this reason we are unable to distribute your content to stores.If you have any questions please contact our support team at: support@dittomusic.com. Thank for your understanding!
These guidelines are set by music stores. Unfortunately, the major music platforms won’t accept your release until these issues have been fixed.
I have to express my exasperation: after a day of dealing with 8 different counts of censorship of my work, I didn’t want to deal with the same in my pastime. However, this is what every day is like in my world. This is the offending song:
Dear Ditto Music Support Team,
I am writing in response to your recent notification rejecting one of my album releases, citing compliance with music platform guidelines. The message stated: “In compliance with music platform guidelines your release contains content that is deemed insensitive or showing political or cultural bias. For this reason we are unable to distribute your content to stores.”
As a professional journalist with expertise in the history of the Middle East region, I am releasing this album as part of my artistic expression addressing current global events, including the ongoing situation in Palestine. I believe this falls under the right to free artistic expression, which is protected under various international and national laws. For instance, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, incorporated into UK law via the Human Rights Act 1998, states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.” Similarly, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
I note that thousands of artists distribute music through Ditto that contains political or cultural perspectives, and if Ditto Music supports free expression, it should allow such content, provided it does not violate laws or incite harm. In this context, the album addresses documented events, including the findings of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry. Their September 2025 report concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. This is the strongest finding by a UN body on the issue to date, though a formal legal determination of genocide can only be made by a competent national or international court.
The album in question contains 11 songs, and I suspect the issue relates specifically to the track titled “Evil Israeli Warmachine (Genocide Edition).” However, your notification provided no detailed instructions or specifics on which elements are deemed insensitive or biased. Could you please provide precise information on:
What specific content (e.g., lyrics, title, artwork, or other elements) in the release is considered politically or culturally biased or insensitive?
Which music platform guidelines are being referenced, and how does the content violate them?
Additionally, rather than rejecting the entire release, why was it not flagged for editing or partial removal? This would allow the non-offending tracks to proceed to distribution while addressing any concerns.
Regarding your policies, I have reviewed Ditto Music’s Terms & Conditions, which emphasize that submitted works must not include material that is defamatory of any party or obscene, and that Ditto may refuse distribution if content is deemed illegal, fraudulent, or in violation of your terms or those of your partners. If the rejection is based on potential defamation or partner platform rules, please clarify this, as the content is an artistic commentary on verified international reports and does not meet the legal threshold for defamation or obscenity.
I appreciate your assistance in resolving this matter promptly, as I have four other albums scheduled for release before Christmas and wish to ensure compliance moving forward. Please let me know if any modifications can be made to allow distribution.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Best regards,
Johnny Vedmore
The issue was always going to be the song Evil Israeli Warmachine. However, what Ditto Music didn’t yet realise is that the original version of Evil Israeli Warmachine had already been released on all platforms by DittoMusic themselves in 2020 under the title EIW. So, the music platforms had no issue with the track for five years; ergo, this is DittoMusic’s decision.
Ditto Music came back with their soulless and unhelpful standard AI response. saying:
Hi there, Illia is jumping in to assist you. Thank you for contacting Ditto Support.
I’d be happy to help!
I understand your frustration with the rejection and appreciate you taking the time to explain your perspective on this matter.
The rejection you received is based on music platform policies rather than our own content guidelines. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music have their own rules about political content, and as a distributor, we have to follow those requirements to maintain our relationships with these platforms.
When content gets flagged during review, the entire release is marked as inactive rather than just removing individual tracks. I know this seems heavy-handed when you have 11 songs and potentially only one might be causing the issue.
Concerning your inquiry about the specific elements that prompted the review, we are unable to provide detailed information due to our guidelines. However, your release contained content considered insensitive or exhibiting political or cultural bias, which is not allowed on the music platforms.
For your upcoming releases before Christmas, I recommend removing any sensitive or political content from the lyrics, as such material is restricted by music stores.
I understand this is not the outcome you were hoping for, particularly considering the journalistic nature of your work. However, as a music distributor, we are obligated to adhere to the guidelines set by the stores.
Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Illia
Ditto Music
Still, nothing had fundamentally changed since I first released a version of Evil Israeli Warmachine since I originally released the track in 2020. Except for, of course, the clear genocide of the Palestinian people.
Even though the official international bodies, such as the United Nations, have recognised the ongoing genocide in Gaza, it is
DittoMusic who are seemingly protecting the IDF’s public relations image.
In response, I laid all the cards out on the table:
Dear Ditto Music Support Team,
I am writing in response to your recent notification rejecting one of my album releases, citing compliance with music platform guidelines. The message stated: “In compliance with music platform guidelines your release contains content that is deemed insensitive or showing political or cultural bias. For this reason we are unable to distribute your content to stores.”
As a professional journalist with expertise in the history of the Middle East region, I am releasing this album as part of my artistic expression addressing current global events, including the ongoing situation in Palestine. I believe this falls under the right to free artistic expression, which is protected under various international and national laws. For instance, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, incorporated into UK law via the Human Rights Act 1998, states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.” Similarly, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
I note that thousands of artists distribute music through Ditto that contains political or cultural perspectives, and if Ditto Music supports free expression, it should allow such content, provided it does not violate laws or incite harm. In this context, the album addresses documented events, including the findings of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry. Their September 2025 report concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. This is the strongest finding by a UN body on the issue to date, though a formal legal determination of genocide can only be made by a competent national or international court.
The album in question contains 11 songs, and I suspect the issue relates specifically to the track titled “Evil Israeli Warmachine (Genocide Edition).” However, your notification provided no detailed instructions or specifics on which elements are deemed insensitive or biased. Could you please provide precise information on:
What specific content (e.g., lyrics, title, artwork, or other elements) in the release is considered politically or culturally biased or insensitive?
Which music platform guidelines are being referenced, and how does the content violate them?
Additionally, rather than rejecting the entire release, why was it not flagged for editing or partial removal? This would allow the non-offending tracks to proceed to distribution while addressing any concerns.
Regarding your policies, I have reviewed Ditto Music’s Terms & Conditions, which emphasize that submitted works must not include material that is defamatory of any party or obscene, and that Ditto may refuse distribution if content is deemed illegal, fraudulent, or in violation of your terms or those of your partners. If the rejection is based on potential defamation or partner platform rules, please clarify this, as the content is an artistic commentary on verified international reports and does not meet the legal threshold for defamation or obscenity.
I appreciate your assistance in resolving this matter promptly, as I have four other albums scheduled for release before Christmas and wish to ensure compliance moving forward. Please let me know if any modifications can be made to allow distribution.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Best regards,
Johnny Vedmore
One of the most shocking parts of this form of censorship is Ditto Music’s claim that my “release contained content considered insensitive or exhibiting political or cultural bias, which is not allowed on the music platforms.” I am speechless by this Orwellian statement. I could name you a hundred songs which have been released on the same music platforms, which are seriously “insensitive” and contain “political or cultural bias”. Has no one heard “Murder the Government” by NOFX or “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against The Machine? Why would my protest song about the Israeli Warmachine, which is clearly committing evil acts of genocide, be treated differently from “Holiday in Cambodia” by the Dead Kennedys or “Kill All The White Men” again by NOFX?
The censors are AI-driven now. Companies like Ditto Music use Artificial Intelligence to filter, block, and censor content, and, once the artist complains, the AI becomes a conduit for legal unaccountability.
I will fight censorship on all fronts. Still, I wake up every day to a new wave of censorship. I am not allowed to be a journalist, I am not allowed to be a musician, I am not allowed to say this, or utter that. My life is totally forbidden. My work is blocked, my hobbies are restricted, and there is no end in sight.
To continue reporting on the people, companies and public entities others fear to report on, I need your help. I appreciate anything you can do to help me. Whether it’s a small donation, a like, a share, a follow or subscribe, spreading the word, or simply a kind comment, I appreciate it all. I have been systematically censored for more than 6 years. Any support is like fresh air.
NEWSPASTE 