Ep. 240: Is there a global free speech recession?
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We travel from America to Europe, Russia, China, and more places to answer the question: Is there a global free speech recession?  Guests:

• Sarah McLaughlin): FIRE senior scholar, global expression
• James Kirchick): FIRE senior fellow
• Jacob Mchangama): FIRE senior fellow Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 03:52 Free speech global surveys 07:49 Freedom of expression deteriorating 11:43 Misinformation and disinformation 18:05 Russian state-sponsored media 24:55 Europe’s Digital Services Act 29:26 Chinese censorship 34:33 Radio Free Europe 54:57 Mohammad cartoons 01:04:14 Outro Read the transcript here.) Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today) and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more. If you became a FIRE Member) through a donation to FIRE at thefire.org) and would like access to Substack’s paid subscriber podcast feed, please email [email protected]. Show notes:
• Authoritarians in the academy: How the internationalization of higher education and borderless censorship threaten free speech) Sarah McLaughlin (2025) 
• “The First Amendment created gay America)” So to Speak (2022)
• “Secret city: The hidden history of gay Washington)” James Kirchick (2022)
• “Who in the world supports free speech?)” The Future of Free Speech (2025)
• “V-DEM democracy report 2025: 25 years of autocratization — democracy trumped?)” V-Dem Institute (2025)
• Global risks report 2024) World Economic Forum (2025)
• “Gay reporter kicked off Kremlin network after protesting anti-gay law)” Washington Free Beacon (2013)
• Free speech: A history from Socrates to social media (paperback)) Jacob Mchangama (2025)
• Europe's Digital Services Act (DSA)) (2022)
• Careless people: A cautionary tale of power, greed, and lost idealism) Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025)
• “The Voice of America falls silent)” The New York Times (2025)
• Text of Havel’s speech to Congress) The Washington Post (1990)
• Voice of America wins in court, for now, as judge blocks Trump administration from firing staff) AP News (2025)