Censorship is the virus, free speech is the vaccine Opinion Free speech, grounded in the principle of dispersed knowledge and “epistemic modesty” championed by Hayek, is far less dangerous than censorship, which empowers a self-appointed elite to enforce their biases on others, says Paul Marshall It is always dangerous to make binary distinctions, as they are over simplistic – but in the debate over free [...]
‘Banter ban’ debate rages in House of Lords Politics A House of Lords debate on the details of the Employment Rights Bill sparked a row over ‘cancel culture’ on Monday after members took sides on a clause dubbed the “banter ban.” The debate hinged on the definition of “third party harassment” and on whether employers should face a legal duty to protect staff from [...]
Should employers brace for the arrival of Banter Police? Opinion On his first day in office following Labour’s election victory last summer, Keir Starmer promised to provide the country with “a politics that treads a little lighter on all of our lives.” In hindsight, this seductive proposition could mean different things to different people. At the time, I optimistically took it as a promise to [...]
Allison Pearson: The bar for criminality is rightly higher than ignorant tweets November 20, 2024 Like her or loathe her, the Allison Pearson row shows why we all have a stake in defending free speech, writes Silkie Carlo.
Let’s be honest, Elon Musk is right to defend free speech August 15, 2024 Blaming communications for unrest has a long and unhappy history. We repeat it at our peril, writes Matthew Lesh
UK riots: Digital authoritarianism is not the answer to far-right violence August 12, 2024 Far-right thugs deserve to see justice, but Westminster must not use the riots to push through dystopian digital measures, writes Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch Our response to the riots risks digital dystopia These have been dark days for Britain. The shocking scenes of violence and racism following the Southport stabbings are unforgettable. [...]
The Debate: Should we finally say goodbye to Twitter/X? August 8, 2024 Are we doomed to doomscroll on, or should we take action and quit Twitter/X for good? Rachel Cunliffe goes head to head with Benedict Spence