Undersecretary Sarah Rogers on free speech, Europe’s tech crackdown, and the internet she misses episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 16, 2026 · 52 MIN

Undersecretary Sarah Rogers on free speech, Europe’s tech crackdown, and the internet she misses

from Mixed Signals from Semafor Media · host Semafor Podcasts

Sarah Rogers, the State Department’s undersecretary for public diplomacy, joins Mixed Signals for a wide-ranging conversation about free speech, tech regulation, and why she’s been rattling the patience of some European governments. Max and Ben press her on confronting Europe over X, the Digital Services Act, and online speech — including accusations that she’s carrying water for Elon Musk and the far right. Rogers traces her worldview back to the early internet, Gawker comment sections, and First Amendment litigation, and explains why she sees today’s speech rules as potentially dangerous.And, don’t miss this week’s bonus episode of Mixed Signals: Max turns the tables on Ben and brings on Semafor CEO Justin Smith to ask the two about their big media news.

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Undersecretary Sarah Rogers on free speech, Europe’s tech crackdown, and the internet she misses

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