Free Speech Under Assault - In The Tank #461

The Heartland Institute’s Donald Kendal, Jim Lakely, and S. T. Karnick present episode 461 of the In The Tank Podcast. The concept of free speech is once again under assault. The Europe Union's Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton wrote an open letter to X CEO Elon Musk warning him to stop the "amplification of harmful content." Meanwhile, authorities in the UK have been cracking down on so-called "hate speech" on social media, even going as far as threatening American citizens of extradition over supposed incitement of violence. Are any of these restrictions justifiable? Should free speech be absolute? The In The Tank crew discusses these topics and more.

PRIMARY TOPIC - FREE SPEECH UNDER ASSAULT

CNBC - EU warns Elon Musk ahead of Trump interview to keep hate speech off X
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/12/eu-warns-elon-musk-ahead-of-trump-interview-to-keep-hate-speech-off-of-x-.html

Politico - EU’s Breton warns Musk on hate speech ahead of Trump interview; receives profane response
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-warns-elon-musk-hate-speech-donald-trump-interview-breton-x/

The Guardian - Two men jailed for social media posts that stirred up far-right violence
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/09/two-men-jailed-for-social-media-posts-that-stirred-up-far-right-violence

NYP - UK police commissioner threatens to extradite, jail US citizens over online posts: ‘We’ll come after you’
https://nypost.com/2024/08/10/media/uk-police-commissioner-threatens-to-extradite-jail-us-citizens-over-online-posts-well-come-after-you/

Reason - VP Candidate Tim Walz on "There's No Guarantee to Free Speech on Misinformation or Hate Speech, and Especially Around Our Democracy"
https://reason.com/volokh/2024/08/08/vp-candidate-tim-walz-on-theres-no-guarantee-to-free-speech-on-misinformation-or-hate-speech-and-especially-around-our-democracy/

The Conversation - Americans love free speech, survey finds − until they realize everyone else has it, too
https://theconversation.com/americans-love-free-speech-survey-finds-until-they-realize-everyone-else-has-it-too-234884