Coffee and a Mike Jason Bassler #1220
Sep 26, 2025
Jason Bassler, co-founder of The Free Thought Project and an outspoken police-accountability activist, dives into heated discussions about civil liberties and government overreach. He explores his suspicions surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk, scrutinizing the narrative and media handling. Bassler highlights the rise of independent media amid COVID and the dangers of algorithmic echo chambers. He warns about technocratic influences, the increasing role of private tech firms in surveillance, and the implications for civil liberties and health data control.
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Origins And Early Growth
- Jason Bassler describes founding Police the Police and co-founding The Free Thought Project after being inspired by Occupy Wall Street and Dr. Ron Paul.
- He recounts rapid early growth, reaching tens of millions weekly before major deplatforming in 2018 knocked down their audience.
Golden Age Then Censorship Shift
- Bassler calls 2012–2016 a 'golden age' of social media where audiences craved independent information and alternative narratives.
- He argues big tech later weaponized censorship and the 'fake news' narrative to silence that independent media momentum.
Pandemic Changed Alternative Media
- Bassler highlights how COVID and the rise of medical-freedom influencers reshaped alternative media audiences and attention.
- He warns that many influencers later shifted positions or became hypocritical, complicating trust dynamics.