Tag: free speech
A history of free speech in America
June 8, 2023 | Post
The history of free speech in the United States is a complex and fascinating topic, deeply rooted in the nation’s founding principles. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791, protects the right to free speech, along with freedom of religion, the press, assembly, and petition.
An assault on anonymity: the consequences of Vietnam’s new social media policy
June 2, 2023 | Post
In Vietnam, a new regulation will take effect by January 2024 requiring all social media users to verify their identities in order to use online platforms. This move is a blatant violation of the right to free expression and privacy.
Political Islam and the violation of individual rights
April 5, 2023 | Post
Can you imagine living in a country where your government can kill you for not following a state-imposed dress code; or jail you for ten years for sharing a video of yourself dancing with your fiance; or kidnap you for daring to speak your mind? Iranians live in such a place.
Is Covid China’s Chernobyl?
April 4, 2023 | Post
Just as COVID has changed our lives in many ways since 2020, Chernobyl changed the world in 1986. These were two great disasters emanating from two major communist nations. The results and consequences of both will affect us for a very long time, maybe even forever.
As many will know, Chernobyl was instrumental in accelerating the end of the Soviet Union and is critical to our understanding of this period. However, could COVID be the key to understanding, in the future, perhaps, the end of Communist China?
The TikTok dilemma: privacy risks vs the importance of free choice
March 30, 2023 | Post
TikTok has been under intense scrutiny for its data collection and sharing practices, with concerns raised about the platform’s relationship with the Chinese government and its potential for mass surveillance of Americans. But should it be banned?
Georgia’s foreign agent law casts an ominous shadow on its European aspirations
March 8, 2023 | Post
The “foreign agent law” is perilous for all of Georgian society and will derail future progress in many areas, including human rights and anti-corruption. The Georgian people will do everything to make their voices heard and defend the national and European ideals that promise us a better future.
The Misuse of Social Media Act: a threat to freedom of expression in Uganda
February 27, 2023 | Post
The provisions in the Misuse of Social Media Act passed by Uganda’s Parliament are highly restrictive and pose a direct threat to digital freedom. Here’s a quick breakdown of how and why…
Why Section 230 is vital for freedom of expression online
February 8, 2023 | Post
There was a time when the debate around Section 230 was limited to the underworld of D.C. tech policy folks, but this is certainly no longer the case. While this once obscure part of the Communications Decency Act was gradually becoming more of a discussion point, it was thrust into the mainstream when Twitter and Facebook banned Donald Trump from their platforms after he posted incendiary tweets. Here’s why we should defend Section 230…
Is social media a modern-day Tower of Babel?
January 6, 2023 | Post
As social media platforms use artificial intelligence to curate users’ feeds with the content they are most likely to engage with, this erects barriers to communication among people of differing opinions.
National Security Law: the crackdown on democracy and freedom in Hong Kong
January 5, 2023 | Post
China’s National Security Law has reduced Hong Kong’s autonomy and made it easier for the CCP regime to punish pro-democracy activists.
Are major tech companies stifling free speech?
January 5, 2023 | Post
Technological advances have made it much easier for individuals to express themselves, but are major tech companies now stifling free speech?
Ten movies every libertarian should watch
December 30, 2022 | Post
Looking for a way to combine entertainment with thought-provoking ideas? Check out our list of ten movies every libertarian should watch…
13 books every well-rounded libertarian should read
December 30, 2022 | Post
There are books that every libertarian should read and books every libertarian has read, but those circles don’t perfectly overlap. Here are 13 diverse book recommendations for well-rounded thinkers…
Is Elon Musk really a friend of free speech?
December 16, 2022 | Post
On December 15, 2022, under Elon Musk, Twitter suspended several prominent journalists’ accounts from publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, among others.
The libertarian position on gay marriage: a matter of expression?
December 15, 2022 | Post
While it would be unfair to say that libertarians hold some kind of monopoly over the fight for gay marriage, but there is no denying the great contribution made by libertarian logic to this movement. Marriage is individual expression; it is not the faculty of anyone else to restrict it.
What’s happening in China: is the communist regime in trouble?
December 1, 2022 | Post
At present, whenever the world’s attention is not on the controversial Qatar World Cup, it is firmly on what is happening in China. The authoritarian, communist regime, ruled with an iron fist by Xi Jinping for the past decade, is seeing protests on a scale not seen in generations. As more cracks appear, will China’s illiberal model prove unsustainable?
Elon Musk’s ego will always trump free speech
November 16, 2022 | Post
Elon Musk, who has described himself as a “free speech absolutist,” has stated in the past that there should be no permanent bans on the platform. Despite these promises, mere days into Musk’s term at the helm of Twitter, things already spun wildly out of control. Kathy Griffin has already been permanently banned from Twitter for a parody tweet, “impersonating” Musk and encouraging his followers to vote Democrat in the recent midterms.
Truth exists – and disagreement helps us reach it
September 23, 2022 | Post
When you arrive at “we think differently, and that is OK” – all interaction stops. Nobody will convince anyone of anything. Nobody is searching for answers. They simply do not want to get their feelings hurt, so they stop thinking about reality altogether. We must not place comfort above truth.
Speak up! Overcoming the anxiety of free speech on campus
August 11, 2022 | Post
Do not let fear of being different or the assumption of ‘cancel culture’ define you or your college experience. You are entitled as much as anyone one else to express your view in a courteous and intelligent way; let the chips fall where they may.
We cannot let freedom of speech become a casualty of war
June 17, 2022 | Post
Freedom of speech during wartime is crucial for transparency. If this right doesn’t apply during wartime, does it even exist in any meaningful sense?
1984 is as relevant as ever in 2022
May 13, 2022 | Post
The brutality and totalitarianism that Orwell portrays in 1984 remains a far-off nightmare for much of the world. But not all of the world.
Free speech, fake news, and society’s search for truth
May 12, 2022 | Post
Only in a society which treasures and protects the precious right to free speech can we move the truth forward and shed light on disinformation
What Elon Musk buying Twitter means for social media and free speech
April 27, 2022 | Post
What will Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter actually mean for the future of social media and free speech online? What changes can we expect?
The Prague Spring: planting the seeds of freedom
April 6, 2022 | Post
The Prague Spring of 1968 has a legacy that proved influential in the downfall of the Eastern Bloc a generation later, and continues to inspire to this day.