Our Ministries of Truth by Russell Blackford

Russell Blackford critiques government-driven efforts to combat misinformation, warning that such laws can turn digital platforms into "ministries of truth," suppressing dissent and entrenching ideological orthodoxy. While he acknowledges the dangers of unchecked misinformation, he advocates for ethical self-regulation and informed public discourse as more democratic alternatives, albeit challenging in polarized societies. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2024/11/our-ministries-of-truth/ About the Author: Russell Blackford is a conjoint senior lecturer in philosophy at the University of Newcastle (Australia) and a regular columnist for Free Inquiry. His latest book, The Tyranny of Opinion: Conformity and the Future of Liberalism (2019), is published by Bloomsbury Academic. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry.