Censorship
Most Americans believe misinformation is a problem — federal research cuts will only make the problem worse
Most Americans believe misinformation is a problem — federal research cuts will only make the problem worse Research on misinformation and disinformation has been severely impacted by the Trump administration’s restructuring of federal research priorities, including the cancellation of hundreds of grants that supported this research. The overwhelming majority of Americans (95%) believe misinformation’s misleading […]
📰 News
3 ways the government can silence opinions it disagrees with, without using censorship
3 ways the government can silence opinions it disagrees with, without using censorship The US government can silence opinions it disagrees with without using censorship by making institutions change their advocacy to get government benefits, inducing self-censorship through intimidation, and molding the government’s own speech to promote official ideology. The Trump administration has used these […]
🏛️ Politics
When Elvis and Ella were pressed onto X-rays – the subversive legacy of Soviet ‘bone music’
When Elvis and Ella were pressed onto X-rays – the subversive legacy of Soviet ‘bone music’ During World War II, Soviet censors banned Western music, but some enterprising individuals used X-ray film to create “bone music” or “ribs,” a homemade technology that allowed them to record and play back sound on conventional records. The use […]
🎭 Entertainment
Trump’s aggressive actions against free speech speak a lot louder than his words defending it
Trump’s aggressive actions against free speech speak a lot louder than his words defending it Harvard University has sued the Trump administration, claiming that pressure campaigns to force viewpoint diversity on campus violate the Constitution’s guarantees of free speech. The Trump administration has taken aggressive actions against free speech, including targeting law firms and attorneys […]
🏛️ Politics
Universities in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union thought giving in to government demands would save their independence
Universities in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union thought giving in to government demands would save their independence The Trump administration’s intervention into higher education governance echoes historical attempts to bring universities under state influence or control. The administration’s actions, including withholding federal funding and launching investigations, aim to eradicate “discriminatory” DEI policies and fight […]
📰 News
What would happen if Section 230 went away? A legal expert explains the consequences of repealing ‘the law that built the internet’
What would happen if Section 230 went away? A legal expert explains the consequences of repealing ‘the law that built the internet’ Repealing Section 230 could lead to increased censorship, as platforms may block potentially controversial content to avoid liability for defamatory or harmful user-generated content. If Section 230 were repealed, platforms might adopt a […]
📰 News
With its executive order targeting the Smithsonian, the Trump administration opens up a new front in the history wars
With its executive order targeting the Smithsonian, the Trump administration opens up a new front in the history wars A portrait of President Donald Trump in the 'America’s Presidents' exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery. Win McNamee/Getty Images I teach history in Connecticut, but I grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas, where my […]
🏛️ Politics
From censorship to curiosity: Pope Francis’ appreciation for the power of history and books
From censorship to curiosity: Pope Francis’ appreciation for the power of history and books Pope Francis delivers the Angelus noon prayer in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on Nov. 10, 2024. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia In January 2025, while doing research at the Vatican archives, I heard Pope Francis’ Sunday prayers in St. Peter’s Square. […]
🏛️ Politics