Mixed Signals from Semafor Media Undersecretary Sarah Rogers on free speech, Europe’s tech crackdown, and the internet she misses
Jan 16, 2026
Sarah Rogers, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and a former First Amendment litigator, dives into the complex world of free speech regulation. She discusses her proactive stance against European tech laws, claiming they may chill speech. Rogers shares her early internet experiences, from Gawker comment sections to today’s digital challenges, framing them within a broader context of media evolution. She addresses accusations of partisanship regarding her advocacy for platforms like X and warns against selective enforcement of speech rules.
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Public Diplomacy Is Government To People
- Sarah Rogers frames public diplomacy as the U.S. engaging foreign publics, not just governments.
- She oversees press, cultural exchanges, and the information environment including disinformation efforts.
Courtroom Training Drives Speech Stance
- Rogers' litigation background, including a 9-0 Supreme Court win, shapes her free-speech-first perspective.
- She views regulatory moves as potential censorship risks applied by risk-averse platforms.
A Millennial's Internet Origin Story
- Rogers describes growing up online where anonymity made the internet generative and chaotic.
- She felt gentrification of the internet removed that freedom and sought to defend it legally and diplomatically.