Reason: America’s Free Speech Culture Is Under Attack From Within

By J.D. Tuccille  We Need To Revive a Culture of Free Speech But, as Kirk himself warned, “when people stop talking, really bad stuff starts. When marriages stop talking, divorce happens. When civilizations stop talking, civil war ensues.” We’re not there yet. From the left, Van Jones called for more dialogue and less violence. From […]

Cronkite News: Firings In Wake Of Charlie Kirk Murder Show That A Worker’s Free Speech Rights Go Only As Far As The Boss Allows

By Nick Karmia and Tufan Neupane Jacob Mchangama, founder and executive director of the Future of Free Speech at Vanderbilt University, agreed that the First Amendment protects against government actions, not actions by a private employer. But he said, the lines blur when government officials pressure private employers to punish employees whose views don’t conform […]

Washington Examiner: Bondi Faces Fresh Conservative Backlash Over ‘Hate Speech’ Comments

By Naomi Lim  Jacob Mchangama, executive director of the Future of Free Speech, told the Washington Examiner he “completely” understood why “people are repulsed” by those celebrating Kirk’s death, but underscored that “there’s a difference between moral condemnation and criminal persecution.” “What I think is particularly ironic is that this administration has been, and I […]

The Tennessean: Following Charlie Kirk Killing, Campuses Struggle With Declining Free Speech, Increasing Violence

By Angele Latham Following the shooting, rhetoric surrounding students’ First Amendment rights has been heated. But one theme has been largely agreed upon by First Amendment experts on both sides of the aisle: speech is not violence, and violence is not an answer to speech. Jacob Mchangama, the founder and executive director of the Future […]

Expression: The United Kingdom Needs A New Generation of Levellers

By Jacob Mchangama In 1649, a group of English radicals sent a petition to the House of Commons. In it, they lamented the licensing of printing — which allowed the government to “pre-censor” books and pamphlets — as well as the harsh punishments for publishing unlicensed or “scandalous” ones. The radicals warned that this kind […]

Medianama: Counterspeech — Not Censorship — Is The Best Way to Combat Harmful Speech

By Natalie Alkiviadou As you roll out of bed, enjoy your morning coffee, and scroll through the comment sections on social media’s biggest stories, you are confronted with the reality that a lot of false information and bigotry is being posted online.  Although this feeling resonates with many people — including global leaders who believe […]

Gazeta Do Povo: Where Is Freedom of Expression Heading in Brazil?

By Erich Thomas Mafra The global decline in freedom of expression isn’t limited to authoritarian states, but is also affecting established democracies. This assertion comes from one of the world’s most respected voices on the topic of freedom of expression: Danish lawyer Jacob Mchangama . According to him, “democracies are increasingly restricting freedom of expression. […]

Folhapress: Professor Jacob Mchangama Sees Risk to Democracy in Comedian’s Conviction

For Jacob Mchangama, we are living in a recession. However, he’s not talking about finances or unemployment, but rather about freedom of expression. The Danish professor, an expert on the subject, is director of The Future of Free Speech, a think tank based at Vanderbilt University in the United States. And although Mchangama is not […]

Gazeta Do Povo: Jacob Mchangama in Brazil Is A Landmark in The Defense of Freedom of Expression

By Madeleine Lacsko  This week, São Paulo will host a historic masterclass on freedom of expression . The event, organized by a diverse consortium of institutions, will bring together legal experts, journalists, researchers, parliamentarians, and civil society representatives in a debate environment that has become increasingly rare in Brazil: one where dissent is possible with […]