Timothy Snyder on this topic:

In difficult times we need to be careful with language, and keeping important distinctions in mind can help us, at the very least, from making things worse. For example, there is a difference worth noticing, and noting, between “me speech” and “free speech”.

“Me speech” is a common practice among rich and influential Americans. Practitioners of “me speech” use the phrase “free speech” quite a bit. But what they mean is free speech for themselves. They want a monopoly on it.

They believe that they are right about everything, and so they should always have giant platforms, in real life or on social media. They people with whom they disagree, however, should be called out and intimidated in an organized way on social media, or subjected to algorithmic discrimination so that their voices are not heard. These people suppress the freedom of speech. But because they repeat the phrase “free speech” quite a lot, the media will often associate them with the idea. This, of course, tends to make the notion of “free speech” meaningless.

US Policy FAQ

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