06
July 2016
Past Event
Reconciling Free Speech and Online Civility: Newseum President and CEO Jeffrey Herbst's Proposals for a New Internet Etiquette

Reconciling Free Speech and Online Civility: Newseum President and CEO Jeffrey Herbst's Proposals for a New Internet Etiquette

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
July 06, 2016
06
July 2016
Past Event

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

Speakers:
Jeffrey Herbst

President & CEO, Newseum

harold_furchtgott_roth
Harold Furchtgott-Roth

Senior Fellow and Director, Center for the Economics of the Internet

The Internet and social media have played an incredible role in facilitating communication and disseminating diverse viewpoints. Despite connecting people like never before and promoting free speech to an unprecedented extent, the Internet has also served to undermine our social values and drive people apart. Racism, profanity, pornography, and misogyny are as common on social media as mutual friends and hashtags.

Internet culture’s proclivity towards profanity and incivility is largely related to the anonymity of Internet speech. Users are able to hide behind a username or Twitter handle, and avoid being held personally accountable for their online conduct. The result is an erosion of decency in Internet communications. Is it possible to reconcile the norms of civil society with Internet culture? How ought online decorum be enforced?

On July 6th, Hudson Institute hosted Jeffrey Herbst, President and CEO of the Newseum, for a discussion on protecting free speech while promoting civility in Internet communications. Harold Furchtgott-Roth, Director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for the Economics of the Internet, moderated the event.

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