The Free Speech Recession Goes Digital: How Censorship Is Evolving Online

In the digital age, free speech faces unprecedented threats—not just from authoritarian regimes, but from the algorithms and AI systems that govern online platforms. Once fought in physical spaces, the battlefield for free expression has moved online, where Big Tech and new digital regulations increasingly decide what we can and cannot say. In this talk […]

Free Speech Unmuted Podcast: Free Speech in European (and Other) Democracies

Watch:  Listen: How does European free speech law differ from American free speech law, when it comes to “hate speech,” blasphemy, and misinformation? Jane Bambauer and Eugene Volokh welcome Jacob Mchangama, who is CEO of The Future of Free Speech; research professor of political science at Vanderbilt; the author of Free Speech: A History […]

Silha Lecture: The Free Speech Recession And How to Reverse It: Five Lessons From History

At the 39th annual Silha Lecture, Jacob Mchangama delves into the ongoing debates over speech restrictions, revealing how they mirror arguments of the past. Through five key lessons from history, he unpacks the complexities of free speech in the digital age, offering a nuanced perspective on the challenges we face today. Here are some excerpts […]

So To Speak: Political violence and speech

Did overheated political rhetoric lead to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump? On this episode of the So To Speak podcast, host Nico Perrino and his guests explore political violence: its history, its causes, and its relationship with free speech. Flemming Rose is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. He previously served […]

Jacob Mchangama on Doha Debates: Should Everything Be Up for Debate?

Debate can help solve some of the world’s most challenging problems. But are there limits to what free speech and debate can accomplish? Social media has allowed more people to connect and share their perspectives than ever before. That has led to an immense amount of learning and progress—but it’s also led to an uptick […]

Stanford Publius Symposium with Jacob Mchangama: Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media

On April 23, 2024, Jacob Mchangama gave the Publius Lecture at Stanford University Law School. Hailed as the “first freedom,” free speech is the bedrock of democracy. But it is a challenging principle, subject to erosion in times of upheaval. Today, in democracies and authoritarian states around the world, it is on the retreat. In […]

Vanderbilt Law Dean’s Lecture Series: Jacob Mchangama Discusses Free Speech and Equality

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Community, in partnership with the Stanton Foundation First Amendment Clinic, hosted the last Dean’s Lecture Series on Race and Discrimination for the year in mid-April. The Lecture, “Free Speech and Equality: Friends or Foes?”, was delivered by Jacob Mchangama, research professor of political science in the College of Arts and Science, CEO of Justitia, […]