On Threads and other sites, liberal-minded Chinese accounts were mocking the proceedings and offering a rare window into opinions on Xi Jinping and his leadership style.

Having gotten into trouble for making jokes critical of the Chinese government, the standup comic Chizi now lives in self-imposed exile. He’s finding that freedom imposes its own constraints.

The court’s decision could have broader implications for lawsuits seeking to hold companies liable for international human rights abuses.