2026-06-03
9 分钟This is The Indicator from Planet Money.
I'm Adrian Ma.
For decades, there's been this popular idea about the Internet, and social media in particular,
that they're sort of like a digital town square, a place where people can gather, share ideas, dialogue, and debate.
And in this view of the Internet, Facebook, YouTube, and X aren't just machines for spreading memes and misinformation.
They're platforms for exercising that most hallowed of American rights, the right to free speech.
And it's an alluring idea because it gives a sort of noble justification for all the messiness that we see online.
But if you were to ask Olivier Sylvain,
this view of the Internet as a sacred zone for free speech is really a myth,
and one that's doing us more harm than good.
These are not passive, neutral conduits, right?
These are entities that are making decisions about content delivery, but they can never be held accountable for it.
Olivier is a professor at Fordham Law School who studies communications and information law.
He recently published a book called Reclaiming the Internet: How Big Tech Took Control and How We Can Take It Back.
Today on the show, he lays out his argument for why he thinks a libertarian
myth of the Internet has given Big Tech too much power and the changes
he'd like to see to give some of that power back to the people.
This message comes from Capella University.
You know that feeling when there's a spark building inside you, that you were meant for more?
That's your own drive pushing you towards what's next.