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Hosted by FIRE · 🇺🇸 US · EN · 284 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast takes an uncensored look at the world of free expression through the law, philosophy, and stories that define your right to free speech. Hosted by FIRE's Nico Perrino.New episodes post every other week.
FIRE hosts So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, a news show with 284 episodes published.
Long before the First Amendment, John Peter Zenger stood trial for publishing criticisms of New York's then colonial governor. Although the law seemed to guarantee a guilty verdict, a jury refused to convict him. Zenger'
In May 2026, the Office of Management and Budget proposed sweeping changes to how the federal government administers billions of dollars in federal research grants. That funding fuels scientific discovery, medical breakt
Censorship is often associated with authoritarian governments. But throughout history, efforts to control ideas have taken many different forms — and they haven't always come from the state. In this episode, Nico sits do
Over the past five years, book bans and book challenges have become a major flashpoint in American politics. School boards, parents, librarians, and lawmakers are fighting over what students should—and shouldn't—have acc
Debates over religious freedom have shaped American life for centuries. From Quakers facing persecution in colonial America to The Crucible to South Park , fights over religious expression have repeatedly tested the coun
What is financial censorship? Rainey Reitman joins the show to discuss what happens when people are denied access to financial services because of their lawful speech and conduct. Reitman is the author of Transaction Den
In 2010, two landmark decisions transformed American campaign finance law. The first was Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission . The second was SpeechNow.org v. FEC . Together, these cases cleared the way for co
Shouting down speakers, UCLA free speech, heckling, AI, doxxing, cancel culture, and more! Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:40 Get your tickets to Soapbox now! 06:30 Congratulations to Will on 20 years at FIRE 07:31 How is FIR
Editorial note: This conversation was recorded on Friday, April 24, the day before the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Both Nico and Clayton attended the event, where a gunman breached security and opened fire before
We break down the legal case against James Comey over an alleged "true threat" and how far the government can go in prosecuting speech. Plus, we examine renewed FCC pressure on ABC and Jimmy Kimmel. Timestamps: 00:00 Int
The early internet opened unprecedented avenues for speech, creativity, and connection without traditional gatekeepers. But it also raised civil liberties questions: Do our offline freedoms exist online? And if so, how f
Free speech has long been a cornerstone of democratic society. But today, its principles face increasing pressure. Around the world, governments are expanding speech restrictions in the name of combating misinformation,
In 18th century America, news traveled slowly across the Atlantic. Newspapers reprinted secondhand reports, private letters, and unverified stories from abroad, leaving readers with multiple versions of reality. In a wor
In March, juries in California and New Mexico delivered seminal verdicts holding Meta and YouTube liable for failing to protect young users from harm. Both verdicts found that the companies were negligent in the design o
Governments around the world have increasingly sought to regulate online speech well beyond their borders. If global platforms are forced to comply with the world's most restrictive laws, whose speech standards win? And
Several stories have put government power over speech and technology back in the spotlight. In this episode, we break down the Pentagon's targeting of the AI company Anthropic, the push for government-mandated age verifi
In the years leading up to the American Revolution, newspapers and pamphlets overflowed with essays signed "Publius," "Brutus," and "A Farmer." Those arguments helped shape a nation, but the authors' real names were nowh
One year into Trump 2.0, we examine the administration's record on free speech and how it compares to the president's campaign pledge to "bring back free speech to America." We also discuss recent ICE protests, including
Recent protests in Iran have drawn renewed attention to dissent under the country's authoritarian government. The demonstrations have been met with mass arrests, internet restrictions, and even accusations of murder. Whi
Thomas Paine arrived in America in 1774 with little to his name and a long record of personal failure behind him. Within a year, he wrote Common Sense, one of the most influential political pamphlets in history, helping
Heather Mac Donald
Thomas W.. Smith Fellow · Manhattan Institute
1 appearance on this show
Mahmoud Khalil
Palestinian student activist and green card holder · Palestinian Activist
2 appearances on this show
Ilya Shapiro
senior fellow and director of constitutional studies · Manhattan Institute
2 appearances on this show
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
1 appearance on this show
Neil Howe
author of The Fourth Turning
1 appearance on this show
Robert Breedlove
host of The "What Is Money" Show
1 appearance on this show
Jeff Kosseff
author of The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet
1 appearance on this show
Bill Courtney
Coach
1 appearance on this show
Yascha Mounk
Associate Professor of the Practice of International Affairs · Johns Hopkins University
1 appearance on this show
Killer Mike
1 appearance on this show
Nick Gillespie
1 appearance on this show
David Lat
Attorney, Writer, Speaker & Family Man · Original Jurisdiction
1 appearance on this show
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So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast is hosted by FIRE. The show is categorised under news (politics) and has published 284 episodes.
So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast has published 284 episodes.
So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast regularly covers news, politics, commentary. It sits in the news category, with a politics focus.
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Episodes of So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast average 62 minutes, giving guests a long-form format with plenty of time to expand on their expertise.
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