Mentions and quotations in media
A new survey released by the nonpartisan think tank Future of Free Speech found a 3-percentage-point drop in support for free speech in the U.S., which puts America’s rank at number 9 out of the 33 countries surveyed. The survey tracks global attitudes toward allowing controversial speech, criticism of the government, media freedom, and an […]
By Alejo Schapire In 2022, Danish lawyer Jacob Mchangama (Copenhagen, 1978) published Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media (not yet translated into Spanish), an essay that traces the erratic and bloody struggle for freedom of expression in the East and West, from ancient Greece to social media. In both the book and his podcast , Mchangama […]
A loss for words Popular support for free speech has been eroding, to judge by a forthcoming study from The Future of Free Speech, a think-tank. Since the previous survey, in 2021, America had the third-largest decline in support for free speech among 33 countries, behind only Japan and Israel. America ranks 9th, after some […]
UNESCO, in collaboration with the Federal Parliament Secretariat, organized a discussion on the Social Media Bill 2081 with Members of Parliament from the National Assembly and House of Representatives. The workshop, held on February 5–6, convened parliamentarians from various parliamentary committees alongside national and international experts to review key elements of the proposed legislation and […]
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s accusations of censorship have angered Europeans. Many Americans, however, believe he is right—even though the White House itself restricts free speech. By Fabian Fellmann [ . . . ] Trump’s Own Assault on the Press More free speech would benefit Europe, agrees Jacob Mchangama. “Europe sees free expression too much […]
By Benjamin von Wyl Hate speech is considered a threat to society and democracy. At a time when Facebook and Instagram allow more statements, the commitment of volunteers who respond to hate – with so-called counterspeech – is becoming more important. [ . . . ] Opponents of content moderation for counterspeech The Institute “The […]
By Irene Castro and Carlos del Castillo The spread of fake news and disinformation was one of the major issues facing the European Union during the last legislative period, when new legislation was introduced to regulate online life. The intention of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DSA) is to make […]
From the show A Propos France has marked 10 years since an Islamist attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that shocked the country and led to fierce debate about freedom of expression and religion. FRANCE 24’s Sharon Gaffney speaks to Jacob Mchangama, founder of “The Future of Free Speech” think tank and research professor […]
By Peggy Sastre The excerpt below is a rough English translation. Read the original in French here. Jacob Mchangama, a Danish legal scholar and author of a notable history of freedom of expression from the time of Socrates to the era of social media, is now one of the most insightful analysts of this fundamental […]
Mother Jones staff highlight their favorite books they read in 2024. Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media (2022) By Jacob Mchangama Nonfiction The latest battle in the 2,500-year war over free speech came to a head during the vice presidential debate. “We actually do have a threat to democracy,” said JD Vance, as […]