FREE SPEECH IN THE POST-TRUTH ERAÅsa WikforssDepartment of PhilosophyStockholm UniversityRenewal of democracy!What happened... Autocratization – using democracy to dismantle democracyThe new information environment•High-choice: individual abilities and motivations become more important •This has effected people’s trust and use of established news media •Increased amount of false and misleading information, primarily as an effect of the lack of professional gatekeepers •The new gatekeepers: algorithms that amplify unreliable content and extremist messagesParadox of the open societyZac Gershberg & Sean Illing: ”The more widely accessible the media of a society, the more susceptible that society is to demagoguery, distraction, and spectacle... And now the paradox of democracy has reached its zenith with a flood of new digital communication platforms” (The Paradox of Democracy, 2022)The dangers of demagogueryDemocracy is vulnerable to voter manipulation – voter ignorance leads to tyrannyFree speech: the knowledge argumentJ. S. Mill: We may be wrong! All opinions must be put to the test in an open debate. This counteracts dogmatism, strengthens arguments and allows truth to conquer. Does truth win in the new information environment?The dilemma of democracy1.Voter influence – pushing autocratic leaders into power 2.Impoverished public debate – driving unbridgeable disagreements 3.Manipulation of trust – undermining trust in democratic institutions How can democracy defend itself when it’s basic rights and freedoms are used to undermine the system?Paradox of toleranceThe tolerant society cannot allow unchecked expression of intolerance – it must prevent an exploitation of the open society to destroy tolerance itself.A true dilemma?” Any such protection would require further limitations of freedom of speech!” Possible to improve information environment and strengthen knowledge without such further limitations. Legislation may be required but need not limit freedom of speech.IPIE Expert Report 2024 System-level interventions to improve the information environmentFreedom of opinion“The right to hold opinions without interference”. The right to a healthy information environment? Hannah Arendt: “Freedom of opinion is a farce unless factual information is guaranteed and the facts themselves are not in dispute.”Thanks!