During the pandemic, governments placed significant public and private pressure on social media companies to remove speech protected by the First Amendment, blurring the line between acceptable government speech and unconstitutional censorship by proxy. Concerns about this “jawboning” only grew with the recent decisions in Missouri v. Biden finding that the pressure applied by various government actors […]
Recent years have produced increasing attacks on the idea of free speech and significant doubts about the wisdom of its continued protection. From confusion about the nature of the First Amendment protection of speech, to misconceptions about the Supreme Court’s rulings on the issue, misinformation on free speech is rampant. World renowned legal scholar and […]
When commentators and politicians discuss misinformation, they often repeat five words: “fire in a crowded theater.” This outdated analogy, originally deployed to justify the conviction of an anti‐draft pamphleteer, has taken on a life of its own as a catch‐all justification for the regulation of false speech. Along with the other half‐truths, exaggerations, lies, and falsehoods that law […]
In France, students in public schools are prohibited from wearing religious clothing, which authorities fear would contaminate the secular oases public schools are supposed to be. It is a coercive interpretation of secularism, which imposes secular values on religious individuals, instead of protecting state neutrality, pluralism, and liberty. Is education in the United States heading in […]
Pharmacists have sufficient training to autonomously prescribe medications to prevent or treat many medical conditions. But states generally require patients to obtain a doctor’s prescription before purchasing pharmaceuticals. This restriction drives up health care costs and unnecessarily inconveniences patients, often when they are in distress. Canadian provinces, by contrast, give pharmacists a wide scope for prescribing pharmaceuticals, […]
Since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, the prospect for a larger regional conflict has loomed. The Biden administration has sent two carrier strike groups to the region to “serve as a deterrent signal to Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and any other proxy across the region,” in the words of a senior defense official. At the […]
The arrival of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the imagination of the public and policymakers. While often hailed as the newest new thing in many sectors, AI has been a core financial technology for decades. From market makers to consumer‐facing fintechs, our financial markets both deploy and innovate cutting‐edge AI. In 2023 alone, more than […]
In their new book, We’ve Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care, economists Liran Einav (Stanford University) and John Bates Clark Medal winner Amy Finkelstein (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) note, “No one is actually uninsured.” They nevertheless critique the US health sector as “a sprawling yet arbitrary and inadequate mess.” Where many advocate piecemeal reform, Einav […]
How free is your state? In the seventh edition of Freedom in the 50 States, authors Jason Sorens and William P. Ruger answer that question with the most comprehensive measure of governmental respect for economic and personal freedom at the state level. The 2023 edition presents a revised and updated ranking of each state and introduces many […]
Hong Kong rose from poverty to prosperity by adhering to the rule of law and safeguarding freedom of speech, property rights, free trade, and the whole range of personal and economic liberties that made the territory one of the freest places on Earth. As Beijing brazenly violated Hong Kongers’ basic rights and autonomy, media entrepreneur […]
In an era marked by contentiousness, rancor, and bitter divide, what role does or should civility play in our society? Further, how ought proper civility be understood and meaningfully differ from mere politeness? In her new book, The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves, Alexandra Hudson addresses these insights with a refreshing exploration […]
For more information on this seminar, please contact Jenna Huhn at (202) 417‑1081 / jhuhn@cato.org
