Selective Free Speech: Censorship, Hypocrisy, and the Politics of Control

Full video. Timestamp: 4:50.

Marx’s insight—”The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class”—perfectly captures the hypocrisy of free speech under the Trump administration. While they denounced censorship when the Biden administration silenced voices questioning pandemic policies, they now weaponize state power against those protesting the war in Gaza. This contradiction reveals that their defense of free speech is not based on principle but on political utility—protecting narratives that serve their interests while suppressing dissent that threatens their agenda. By framing pandemic skepticism as truth-seeking while branding anti-war activism as dangerous, they manipulate public discourse to maintain control rather than uphold genuine democratic values. This selective enforcement isn’t new; it’s a recurring pattern in power structures, where the ruling class dictates which ideas are legitimate and which must be silenced.

What are Information Operations

Source

To obtain a competitive edge, information operations and warfare entail obtaining intelligence on opponents and disseminating propaganda.

Definition: Information operations are tactics used to sway people’s opinions and affect how decisions are made.

PropagandaMessages intended to sway public opinion and affect target audiences’ behavior can be distributed in a variety of ways as propaganda.

Competitive Advantage: The ultimate aim of these activities is to gain a strategic edge over rivals in a variety of settings, including the political, military, and economic spheres.

Tools and Techniques: Information operations can be carried out using a variety of instruments and methods, such as traditional media and social media platforms.

Ethical Considerations: Concerning the effects of such operations on truth and trust in society, the use of disinformation and manipulation presents ethical concerns.

Based on the definition by RAND.

Related:

2012 NDAA – Propaganda – MISO – InfoOps – PsyOps