Section 230 and the Curse of Politics
Gonzalez v. Google presents the Supreme Court’s first opportunity to weigh in on Section 230.
Censorship
The Perils of Trying To Curtail Hazily Defined 'Disinformation'
A government-supported organization's controversial ratings of online news sources illustrate the challenge of deciding what qualifies as disinformation.
Studies Find Conservatives More Committed to Free Speech Online, Federalism
Plus: Government regulation of speech is on trial, biohackers flock to experimental charter city in Honduras, and more…
In Britain, You Can Be Arrested for Silently Praying Outside an Abortion Clinic
"I pray wherever I go, inside my head, for the people around me," said one priest. "How can it be a crime for a priest to pray?"
Free Speech Group Calls Out 10 Censorship-Prone Colleges To Avoid
A rogues’ gallery of institutions that anybody with an independent mind should skip.
The New York Times Warns That Freedom of Speech 'Threatens Public Health' and 'Democracy Itself'
The paper is unfazed by First Amendment objections to the Biden administration's crusade against "misinformation" on social media.
After Muslim Students Complained That an Art Exhibit Was 'Harmful,' Macalester College Shut It Down
"My artwork is unapologetic," said the artist. "Sometimes it can be very political. Sometimes it can be very controversial."
Florida's War on Drag Targets Theater's Liquor License
Apparently, parents’ rights don’t extend to letting their kids listen to naughty Christmas lyrics.
House Republicans Vote Ilhan Omar to Foreign Affairs Committee Just To Kick Her Off the Next Day
Plus: Judge strikes down Super Bowl censorship law, report details how much inflation was driven by stimulus spending, and more...
Rep. Adam Schiff Seeks Dianne Feinstein's Senate Seat
They both share in their authoritarian desires to censor online speech and violate citizen privacy.
Florida's Rejection of an AP African American Studies Course Is a Rejection of School Choice
Why is Gov. Ron DeSantis acting just like his opposition by attempting to dictate what students are permitted to learn?
North Dakota Legislators Consider Bill To Ban 'Sexually Explicit' Material From Public Libraries
"If you don't like a book, don't read it. The First Amendment's guarantee of the freedom of speech and the right to access information has created a beautiful marketplace of ideas in our country," said one ACLU representative opposing the bill.
Inside the CDC's Campaign To Police COVID Speech
Plus: FOSTA in court, challenges to Illinois' assault weapon ban, and more...
Emails Show CDC Policed COVID Speech on Facebook. Live with Robby Soave, Nick Gillespie, and Zach Weissmueller
Join Reason on YouTube and Facebook on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET for a discussion of the Facebook Files with Robby Soave.
Inside the Facebook Files: Emails Reveal the CDC's Role in Silencing COVID-19 Dissent
Throughout the pandemic, the CDC was in constant contact with Facebook, vetting what users were allowed to say on the social media site.
Actually, the CCP Is the Worst Co-Parent Imaginable
An op-ed in The New York Times tries to make the case that the Chinese Communist Party is a worthy partner in raising children.
Britain Wants To Jail Social Media Managers Who Don't Censor to the Government's Liking
Tech firm operators may face criminal charges if children who use their platforms encounter too much “harmful content.”
Great Moments in Unintended Consequences: Barbara Streisand, Sesame Seeds, Golden Goal (Vol. 10)
Good intentions, bad results
Forget Russia's Twitter Trolls—America's Censorious Officials Are a Bigger Threat
Researchers: Moscow’s social media meddling had little impact on the 2016 election.
House Republicans To Probe White House Pressure on Social Media Companies
Plus: House votes to rescind IRS funding, the FDA is putting unnecessary strings on pharmacies filling abortion pill prescriptions, and more...
Did 'Every Conspiracy Theory' About Twitter Turn Out To Be True?
The internal company documents offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the federal agencies distorted the public debate on one of the world's largest social media platforms.
With Jordan Peterson, Occupational Licensing Becomes a Way To Censor
New mechanisms to threaten liberty are brought to bear on those who need the government's permission to do their jobs.
'The Hypocrisy Hurts': Enes Kanter Freedom on Standing Up to China in the NBA
"When it comes to problems happening in America, [the NBA is] the first organization saying, 'This is wrong,'" says the former professional basketball player. But then they're silent for victims of torture.
Twitter Files Reveal Politicians, Officials Evading the Constitution's Restrictions
People in power lean on private businesses to impose authoritarian policies forbidden to the government.
Yet Another Senator Bungles the First Amendment To Justify Censorship
This week, a clip of Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin claiming that speech that espouses "hate" and "violence" is not protected by the First Amendment made the rounds on Twitter, sparking sharp backlash.
Charity and Capitalism Are Better Than Government
When I was young, I assumed government would lift people out of poverty. But those policies often do more harm than good.
Beyoncé, Lizzo, and Taylor Swift Give In To the Speech Police
"It's stories and songs and films cut apart and written over, leaving no trace and no remnant of whatever used to be," writes novelist and cultural critic Kat Rosenfield.
Stop Spazzing Out About 'Spaz'
Social media, streaming, and a new era of digital self-censorship
Canada Threatens Free Speech in the Guise of Nationalistic Obsessions
Demands by lawmakers and government officials for locally produced content may lead to online censorship.
Sifting Through the Twitter Files: Live With Nick Gillespie and Zach Weissmueller
Join Reason on YouTube and Facebook at 1 p.m. Eastern for a live analysis of the internal Twitter documents recently published by Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss, and Michael Shellenberger.
Elon Musk Should Take a Clear Stand Against Censorship by Proxy
The most disturbing aspect of the “Twitter Files” is the platform’s cozy relationship with federal officials who demanded suppression of speech they considered dangerous.
Adam Schiff Attempts Censorship by Proxy, 'Demanding Action' To Suppress 'Hate Speech' on Twitter
Instead of debating whether the platform has been flooded by bigotry, Elon Musk should tell the congressman to mind his own business.
Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Law Forces Artists To Echo the State's Message
A website designer asks SCOTUS to let her eschew work that contradicts her opposition to gay marriage.
What Twitter's Suppression of the Hunter Biden Laptop Story Tells Us About the Media
Plus: The editors consider a listener question on the involuntary hospitalization of the mentally ill.
Elon Musk and Matt Taibbi Reveal Why Twitter Censored the Hunter Biden Laptop Story
The Twitter Files are interesting but contain few true surprises. A mix of incompetence and partisanship got the site in trouble.
U.K.'s Awful Internet Bill Becomes a Bit Less Hostile to Free Speech
At a dangerous moment for the free exchange of ideas, civil libertarians can tally a win.
Twitter Quits the Biden Administration's Ham-Handed Crusade Against COVID-19 'Misinformation'
Elon Musk's rescission of the platform's prior policy, which forbade dissent from official guidance, is consistent with his promise of lighter moderation.
China's COVID Lockdowns Once Inspired Western Officials; They Should Listen to Protesters Instead
Given the harms caused, lessons should be learned from China’s people, not its government.
China's Lockdown Protests Show Why You Shouldn't Let Government Weaken Encryption, Anonymity
Too many Western governments want to follow in the footsteps of authoritarians when it comes to tech privacy.
Abortion Rights Advocates Ask DOJ To Defend Section 230
While "the 26 words that created the internet" have been under fire from both sides, two groups argue that the 1996 law is essential to the future of abortion rights.