Why Democracies Are Embracing Authoritarian Speech Restrictions
Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff, co-authors of The Future of Free Speech, describe a global "free speech recession" in their new book. In a recent interview with Nick Gillespie, they explore why democracies are increasingly adopting speech restrictions traditionally associated with authoritarian regimes. Their discussion covers the impact of misinformation, child safety concerns, and shifting attitudes on both the political left and right toward free expression.
Key Topics Discussed in the Interview
- Government pressure on social media companies
- The future of anonymous speech and Section 230 protections
- Why counter-speech, transparency, and decentralized platforms may offer better alternatives to censorship
Interview Highlights and Timestamps
- 0:00—What is the free speech recession?
- 7:36—Speech after the collapse of communism
- 15:06—How important is technology for escaping censorship?
- 22:38—EU hate speech laws
- 27:55—Sullivan v. Times decision
- 30:19—Afroman's legal victory
- 34:53—Is there a crackdown on political speech in America?
- 39:22—Jawboning
- 42:44—Social media censorship
- 51:40—Solutions to reverse the free speech recession
Event Details
This interview was recorded live at an event in New York City.
The post The Global War on Free Speech appeared first on Reason.com.
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