A high school journalist's Instagram post about the Epstein files became a flashpoint for free speech. The student, named Mueller, spent hours combing through the Department of Justice's Epstein Library portal, searching for connections to his home county of Marin, California.
Thousands of local references found in Epstein documents
Mueller, barely 18, sat on his bedroom floor and went through three million pages of newly released Epstein files. He discovered thousands of mentions of Marin towns: Epstein's online purchases from Restoration Hardware, and a 2013 email from a modeling agency called Mill Valley Connection. "Regarding Hannah, my Austrian model," the agent wrote, "we can come and see you this evening if you are interested."
Instagram post goes viral, praised by thousands
On February 12, Mueller posted a carousel on the Redwood Bark's Instagram feed, showing how many times each town was mentioned in the files. The post received over 4,000 likes and comments praising the work: "Higher quality reporting than local outlets." Mueller said, "I didn't think I was doing groundbreaking journalism. It was just homework."
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Legal threat forces school district to intervene
A week and a half later, modeling agent Gisele Attias Bonnouvrier, named in the post, emailed the principal demanding removal and threatening a lawsuit within 48 hours. The district superintendent demanded the Bark either redact the name or delete the slide. However, Instagram does not allow edits to published posts, and the principal was out of the country.
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Student journalists fight back with legal advice
During lunch, the students consulted an attorney from the Student Press Law Center, who laughed at the threat: "Her name is in the Epstein files; no lawyer will represent her." After a four-hour debate, the students decided to temporarily archive the slide until a meeting with school officials. "The kids felt such pressure from the administration," said their teacher, Erin Schneider.
This case highlights the challenges of student press freedom in the social media era. For more on related legal battles, check the article on Trump administration blocking a New York law on ICE agents. For the original source, visit Wired.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/epstein-files-redwood-bark-school-newspaper
