Free Speech

portrait of Salman Rushdie

The Long Shadow of the Fatwa The Long Shadow of the Fatwa

We don’t know the motives behind the attack on Rushdie yet, but it is just one more threat to his life in a series of them.

Aug 15, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Jeet Heer

First Thought, Best Thought?  Not for Elon Musk.

First Thought, Best Thought? Not for Elon Musk. First Thought, Best Thought? Not for Elon Musk.

The Hill offloads comment moderation to Facebook and Twitter. What could possibly go wrong?

Jun 2, 2022 / Tom Gogola

Peter Gelb and Anna Netrebeko on the red carpet

Waging Proxy War in Ukraine Won’t Save Us From Ourselves Waging Proxy War in Ukraine Won’t Save Us From Ourselves

The policing of public opinion over Ukraine goes to extremes unimagined during the fight against Hitler.

May 27, 2022 / Column / David Bromwich

Student Speech Protest

The Silenced Students in the “Free Speech” Debate The Silenced Students in the “Free Speech” Debate

Marginalized people at universities across the country are trying to reframe the conversation around censorship and expression.

Jun 3, 2022 / StudentNation / Mira Sydow

We Cannot Rely on Billionaires to Create Necessary Guardrails on Social Media

We Cannot Rely on Billionaires to Create Necessary Guardrails on Social Media We Cannot Rely on Billionaires to Create Necessary Guardrails on Social Media

Nothing makes the case for public ownership of online public spaces like a billionaire proposing to buy one.

May 3, 2022 / no-paywall / Katrina vanden Heuvel

We Can’t Let Billionaires Control Major Communications Platforms

We Can’t Let Billionaires Control Major Communications Platforms We Can’t Let Billionaires Control Major Communications Platforms

Elon Musk may not be sitting on Twitter’s board, but he remains its largest shareholder—and that’s bad news.

Apr 14, 2022 / Editorial / Victor Pickard

Senator Ted Cruz holds a book on Critical Race Theory to display to Congress.

Across the Country, Faculty Fight to Defend Academic Freedom Across the Country, Faculty Fight to Defend Academic Freedom

Displaying an unprecedented solidarity, the academic community is mobilizing to confront an existential assault on its professional work and values.

Mar 30, 2022 / Ellen Schrecker

These Progressives Fought the Good Fight in 2021—and Gave Us Hope for 2022

These Progressives Fought the Good Fight in 2021—and Gave Us Hope for 2022 These Progressives Fought the Good Fight in 2021—and Gave Us Hope for 2022

For a year that saw progress come slowly and presidential approval ratings decline, these progressives held the line, speaking truth to power, defending democracy, and showing up f...

Dec 28, 2021 / Feature / John Nichols

Ben and Jerry's sign

At Risk in Israel’s Backlash Against Ben and Jerry’s? The Right to Protest. At Risk in Israel’s Backlash Against Ben and Jerry’s? The Right to Protest.

Israel’s push to punish the ice cream company is part of a larger offensive against Palestine activists—one that mirrors the broader right-wing assault on social justice movements.

Aug 11, 2021 / Amira Mattar

Cheerleader Brandi Levy

From a High-School Cheerleader, a Lesson in Free Speech From a High-School Cheerleader, a Lesson in Free Speech

As school resumes, the Supreme Court’s decision in the most significant student free speech case in decades reverberates across the country.

Aug 5, 2021 / Column / Elie Mystal

x