** Another experiment today, this time looking at the hypocrisy of populist use of free speech as a rallying cry. There’s scope to look at this in a lot more detail as it relates to tech accountability but I’ll revert to using the day’s headlines for the usual newsletter tomorrow.

I am interested in whether these issue focused versions are also useful when there’s less news?

Please do forward and share this with people who may want to subscribe.  As always, this newsletter isn’t giving you tailored advice but general ideas and framing that might be useful. If you see something that aligns with your values and strategy use it, if it doesn’t don’t!**

The Free Speech Decoder | Rootcause
ROOTCAUSE

The Free Speech Decoder

Unpacking the Populist Weaponisation of "Freedom"
Progressive Response Guide • August 2025
⚠️ CURRENT BATTLEFIELD
"Free speech" has become the ultimate populist trojan horse. Whilst claiming to defend freedom, powerful actors are systematically attacking press freedom, punishing dissent, and protecting only speech they agree with. This guide helps you see through the rhetoric.

🔍 Decoding the "Free Speech" Con

THEY CLAIM
"We're restoring free speech by ending censorship"
REALITY CHECK
What's actually happening: Billionaires and politicians are removing fact-checking whilst simultaneously suing journalists, arresting protesters, and punishing companies that promote values they dislike. It's selective "freedom" - for them, not for you.
THEY CLAIM
"Big Tech censored conservative voices"
REALITY CHECK
The data shows: Conservative content consistently dominates social media engagement. What changed? Platforms briefly tried to limit demonstrable lies about elections and public health. Now they're removing those guardrails - not to protect speech, but to protect profitable lies.
THEY CLAIM
"Community notes are more democratic than fact-checkers"
REALITY CHECK
The manipulation risk: "Community" sounds grassroots, but coordinated brigading by bad actors can overwhelm truth. Without expert verification, the loudest voices win, not the most accurate ones. It's mob rule disguised as democracy.

⚡ The Populist Playbook: Spot the Pattern

1. Claim victimhood: "We've been silenced!" (whilst speaking to millions)
2. Attack accountability: Label fact-checking as "censorship"
3. Punish critics: Sue journalists, arrest protesters, fire whistleblowers
4. Consolidate control: Align platform policies with political power
5. Redefine freedom: "Free speech" = their speech; criticism = "woke censorship"

📚 Case Studies in Hypocrisy

📰 Case Study: The Press Freedom Paradox

The Setup: Trump signs "Restoring Free Speech" order on Day 1

The Reality: Within 100 days: Bans AP from White House for not using "Gulf of America," launches FCC investigations into NBC/CBS/ABC, sues Wall Street Journal for $10 billion, arrests student protestors for lawful speech

The Tell: "Free speech" only applies to speech they approve of

💬 Case Study: The Platform Power Grab

The Setup: Musk buys Twitter to "save free speech"

The Reality: Amplifies his own views, attacks UK government, suppresses journalists who criticise him, removes protections against misinformation

The Tell: It's not about freedom - it's about who controls the megaphone

🛠️ YOUR RESPONSE TOOLKIT

When they say: "We're being censored!"
"You're literally speaking to millions right now. Being fact-checked isn't censorship - it's accountability."
When they say: "Cancel culture is out of control!"
"Consequences aren't cancellation. But arresting protestors and suing journalists? That's actual suppression."
When they say: "Let the community decide what's true!"
"Should we vote on whether vaccines work? Some things are facts, not opinions. Truth isn't a popularity contest."
When they say: "Big Tech silenced conservative voices!"
"Conservative content dominates social media. What got restricted? Provable lies about elections and public health. There's a difference."

🎯 What's Really at Stake

This isn't about left vs. right. It's about whether we want:

• A world where lies and truth have equal standing

• Platforms where the richest voices drown out everyone else

• "Freedom" that only protects the powerful

• Democracy where facts are whatever the mob decides

The progressive alternative isn't censorship - it's genuine pluralism: Breaking up tech monopolies, protecting local journalism, ensuring diverse voices have platforms, maintaining standards for truth whilst protecting genuine debate.

✊ PROGRESSIVE ACTION STEPS

1. REFRAME THE DEBATE
Don't accept their framing. This isn't about "free speech vs censorship" - it's about "accountability vs impunity" and "truth vs profitable lies."
2. SUPPORT REAL JOURNALISM
Subscribe to local news. Share fact-checked reporting. When they attack journalists, defend press freedom loudly.
3. BUILD ALTERNATIVES
Join decentralised platforms. Support community-owned media. The answer to Big Tech isn't different Big Tech - it's distributed power.
4. CALL OUT THE HYPOCRISY
Every time they claim to defend "free speech" whilst punishing critics, document it. Make the pattern visible.
REMEMBER THIS ABOVE ALL

When the powerful claim to be victims of censorship whilst literally controlling the platforms, writing the laws, and punishing dissent, they're not defending freedom - they're consolidating power.

Real free speech protects the powerless from the powerful, not the other way around. It means journalists can investigate corruption, protestors can challenge injustice, and communities can hold leaders accountable.

Don't let them steal the language of freedom to build a world with less of it.

Rootcause • Helping forward thinking organisations win in the modern digital information ecosystem

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