Episode 135: The Myth of Free Speech

Still from the movie 1984, released in the year 1984.

Tech companies love to trumpet about how their products are free speech machines. But how can we have free speech when we don't have freedom? That's what we're asking in today's episode, the latest in our Silicon Valley vs. Science Fiction series. We take a deep dive into 1984, the science fiction novel that started a lot of today's discourse about speech and authoritarianism. And of course, we talk about the company formerly known as Twitter, and much more!

Notes, Citations, & Etc.

Apple ad for the Mac, which shows Big Brother

Jacob Mchangama, Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media

Brad Polumbo, Elon Musk Promised Free Speech. But He’s Betrayed It

Nesrine Malik, author of We Need New Stories, speaking on the BBC about her book