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.

Related Events
07
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Understanding China’s Political and Institutional Foundations: A Conversation with Chenggang Xu
Featured Speakers:
Professor Chenggang Xu
Getty Images
07
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Understanding China’s Political and Institutional Foundations: A Conversation with Chenggang Xu

Join Dr. Miles Yu, senior fellow and director of Hudson’s China Center, for a conversation with Professor Xu on why misunderstanding China’s political order may create critical strategic risks for the US amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Professor Chenggang Xu
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell

Join Hudson’s Peter Rough for a discussion with Wess Mitchell on the future of great power diplomacy.

A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Promoting Freedom in North Korea Makes America Safer and Stronger
Featured Speakers:
Representative Young Kim (R-CA)
Greg Scarlatoiu
Sean Chung
Rose Jang
Hannah Oh
Moderator:
Getty Images
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Promoting Freedom in North Korea Makes America Safer and Stronger

Join Hudson Institute for a discussion on the connection between human rights in North Korea and US national security.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Representative Young Kim (R-CA)
Greg Scarlatoiu
Sean Chung
Rose Jang
Hannah Oh
Moderator:
06
October 2025
Past Event
Sustaining the Nuclear Peace
Featured Speakers:
Frank Miller
Brad Roberts
Chris Ford
Moderator:
US Air Force F-35 Lighting IIs and a B-2 Spirit fly over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Alaska on August 15, 2025. (US Air Force photo)
06
October 2025
Past Event
Sustaining the Nuclear Peace

At Hudson, cochairs Dr. Brad Roberts and Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, study group member Dr. Christopher Ford, and Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller will discuss the report and its recommendations.

US Air Force F-35 Lighting IIs and a B-2 Spirit fly over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Alaska on August 15, 2025. (US Air Force photo)
Featured Speakers:
Frank Miller
Brad Roberts
Chris Ford
Moderator: