Nearly a century later, we face an even more chaotic battlefield: free speech is under siege not by a single giant oppressor, but by a hydra of rapidly shifting political agendas, corporate interests, and social and technological forces, all working piece by piece to rob us of our capacity for free expression.
Free speech is being destroyed, but not by a single dramatic smack, but by a thousand piecemeal deaths, whether deliberate or technologically driven, at the whims of a troubled society.
All of this points to major shifts in how information, power and influence are being reshaped and how the 21st century will be reshaped.
From news to noise
In a surprising move in late August, New York’s legendary all-news radio station WCBS-AM abandoned objective journalism and moved to a sports format.
This is not just a rebranding: it’s a strategic move, fueled by instant technology, declining trust, changing generational habits, intense competition and economic pressures — all of which are redefining culture and consumer behavior.
Talk radio, a genre filled with sharp opinions and pundits, ironically often owned by the same companies that once supported the news format, is thriving, reaching 63 million listeners each week.
Meanwhile, Nielsen data from July 2023 showed that traditional TV news, including terrestrial and cable, fell below 50% of total TV usage for the first time.
At the same time, streaming services continue to proliferate and now account for about 39% of all TV viewers, while YouTube and social media are stealing viewership from network news, further weakening the influence of traditional news.
Additionally, podcasts have grown 20% annually over the past three years, drawing audiences away from traditional TV as younger generations prefer on-demand content.
While these changes allow a wider range of voices to be heard, they also blur the line between open dialogue and misinformation, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish genuine debate from misleading content.
Courtroom drama
While the multiple legal maneuvers may appear like courtroom drama on the surface, digging deeper reveals an insidious cartel and government conspiracy designed to silence criticism and stifle freedom of expression.
In August, X (formerly Twitter) filed a lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), its affiliate Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), and GARM members CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy to abuse brand safety standards to illegally boycott certain companies and platforms, including Rumble, by excluding them from advertising. Brands argue they are free to choose who they advertise with.
The legal battle continues, but in a dramatic turn of events, GARM was shut down just 48 hours after the lawsuit was announced.
Later that month, European Commissioner Thierry Breton warned Elon Musk that X was not complying with European Union digital services law, citing concerns about harmful content in an interview with former US President Donald Trump.
This political overreach represents an attempt by EU bureaucrats to control speech on digital platforms. Breton’s move failed miserably, with the interview watched by nearly a billion people.
In a severe attack on free speech, Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Musk-owned X to pay a fine for failing to remove posts that contradicted government statements, banned Brazilians from posting on the platform and imposed heavy penalties for non-compliance.
Moraes’ actions amount to extreme and unnecessary censorship disguised as combating misinformation. The backlash has sparked massive protests in São Paulo, where thousands rallied last weekend to defend their rights on social media platforms.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that government authorities cannot compel private organizations to suppress views they dislike, reaffirming important protections against government interference with freedom of expression.
Separately, the Supreme Court, in its unanimous decision in National Rifle Association v. Varro, set new boundaries by emphasizing that government authorities cannot compel private organizations to censor objectionable views and reaffirming the fundamental principle that free speech must be protected from undue influence.
Under pressure from U.S. government officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, Meta censored content, a move that CEO Mark Zuckerberg later regretted, further revealing the questionable dynamic between tech companies and government influence over speech.
Meanwhile, Google is under an EU antitrust investigation and faces increased scrutiny over misinformation, privacy violations and data security, highlighting wider concerns about the influence big tech companies have over public debate.
The list goes on.
Censorship does not unite us
“We must never forget that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred is a wedge designed to attack our free society,” former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower wisely said.
In the United States, freedom of speech is more than a constitutional right. It is powerful and affects everyday life. It enables people to share reviews and make companies better. It makes workplaces safer and fairer by giving employees a say in their working conditions. It allows entrepreneurs to openly promote their ideas and stimulate competition to drive economic growth.
When open dialogue is lost, we not only lose our voice, but also our ability to challenge unfair practices and demand change.
Media sensationalism traps us in echo chambers, drowns out differing voices and stifles debate. Government and corporate control of information distorts our choices and influences everything from how we buy to how we vote.
Defending free speech isn’t just about grand ideals; it’s about ensuring that individuals have the power to question the status quo, demand changes, and shape their own future.
Without free speech, people lose the power to influence the future of their lives, their communities, and their country. By championing free speech and protecting freedom, we empower everyone to make a meaningful difference in the world.
The fight for free speech is a daily battle for each and every one of us, and if we don’t connect the dots soon, we could quickly lose the diverse voices that drive progress, innovation, and accountability.
Simply put, among many other reasons, freedom of speech allows me to write this article.
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