[How About This Book] The Paradox of the Internet Suppressing 'Freedom of Expression'

독일 Spiegel 기자 Rene Pfister
Populists Like Trump
Easily Spread Lies Online
Pointing Out Threats to Democracy

In the United States, 'freedom of expression' is recognized as an absolutely important value. It is explicitly stated in the First Amendment. It emphasizes that freedom of religion, freedom of the press and publication, and freedom of assembly must be guaranteed.

However, in March 2022, The New York Times (NYT) released survey results showing that as many as 84% of Americans believe that the problem is that they do not fully enjoy freedom of expression. Alongside this, a column was published stating that Americans have lost the right to publicly express their thoughts and opinions. The title of the column was "The Problem of Freedom of Expression Facing America."

Rene Pfister, author of Wrong Words, is a journalist for the German magazine Der Spiegel. He served as a Washington correspondent during Donald Trump's presidency in 2020. Living in Chevy Chase, just six subway stops from the White House, he witnessed firsthand that freedom of expression in the U.S. was in a serious crisis. He also confirmed that even the values of American liberal democracy were being shaken. Wrong Words is a book that exposes the crisis in American society at that time. Pfister argues that we must be vigilant so that such a crisis does not occur in Germany, where far-right forces are gradually expanding their influence, by reporting on the severely suppressed state of freedom of expression in the U.S.

[How About This Book] The Paradox of the Internet Suppressing 'Freedom of Expression'

The fundamental reason freedom of expression is facing a crisis may be the democratization of media access brought about by the internet. Professor Louis Michael Sydeman of Georgetown University points out that the internet has not led discourse in a more advanced direction. He said, "Everyone can use Twitter, but that only means Twitter creates a subjective and useless swamp of information and opinions."

A clear example is former President Trump. Pfister categorically calls Trump a fraud. He described his experience as a Washington correspondent as very strange, explaining the reason as follows: "Because a proud and powerful America that saved the world from the Nazis, sent the first humans to the moon, and brought communism to its knees was being ruled by a ridiculous figure who was a braggart and a fraud with an exceptional talent for exploiting the dark emotions of the nation."

Pfister points out that populists like former President Trump can freely spread lies through Facebook and Twitter. He adds that although Facebook and Twitter were established with the intention of maximizing freedom of expression, ironically, they have become platforms that suppress freedom of expression.

Historically, freedom of expression in the U.S. has greatly contributed to social progress. The U.S. withdrew from the Vietnam War in 1973 because young scholars took to the streets to oppose the war. Prior to that, the introduction of women's suffrage in 1920, the Civil Rights Act banning racial discrimination in 1964, and the Voting Rights Act guaranteeing voting rights for Black people in 1965 were all results of active resistance. These are histories based on the First Amendment.

What Pfister considers the most serious problem is that not only far-right populists like former President Trump but also progressive forces show tendencies to suppress freedom of expression. He points out that progressive forces are trapped in a kind of dogma of equality, minority protection, and abolition of discrimination, threatening liberal democracy.

A telling example is the cancellation of a speech by Christine Lagarde, former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and President of the European Central Bank, at Smith College. Lagarde was scheduled to speak at the Smith College graduation ceremony in 2014 while serving as IMF Managing Director. Smith College is recognized as one of the most prestigious women's colleges in the U.S. As the first woman to become IMF Managing Director, Lagarde was an ideal speaker for the graduation ceremony. However, she was unable to give the speech due to opposition from Smith College students.

The students opposed Lagarde's visit because they claimed that the IMF was the main culprit behind failed development policies in some of the poorest countries, which resulted in strengthening an imperialistic patriarchal system that abuses and oppresses women worldwide. At the time, Smith College President Kathleen McCartney accepted the students' claims but expressed regret, saying it was "against our core values of free thought and diversity of opinion." The NYT used the term "disinvitation season," reporting that around the same time, speeches by former World Bank President Robert Zoellick and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were also canceled at universities due to student protests.

Pfister points out that students have increasingly tended to confine themselves to their own worldview rather than listen to different thoughts and opinions. He laments that free discussion and debate have disappeared, turning universities into silent monasteries.

Pfister examines various sectors in the U.S., such as the media and religion, where freedom of expression is being suppressed, and listens to experts' views. However, he does not systematically analyze the causes of the suppression of freedom of expression nor effectively propose solutions to overcome it. He simply argues that the emergence of figures like former President Trump is a misfortune for society and that measures must be devised to prevent them from gaining power. He concludes by saying that instead of despising Trump’s supporters, we should engage in more active dialogue with them.