Shawn Ryan Show #132 Mike Benz - Inside the Censorship Industrial Complex
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Sep 19, 2024 Mike Benz, a former U.S. Department of State official and digital freedom advocate, dives deep into the censorship industrial complex. He highlights how censorship affects free speech both domestically and globally, especially in places like Brazil. Benz discusses government influence on social media narratives and the alarming role of federal agencies in shaping public discourse. He underscores the need for oversight and reform while warning of the geopolitical stakes tied to internet governance and censorship practices.
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Free Speech Proxy War
- Free speech is caught in a proxy war between the "blob" and populism.
- The "blob" refers to the foreign policy establishment of the U.S., UK, and NATO.
Ukrainian Civil Society Funding
- The State Department, USAID, and the military invested $5 billion in Ukrainian civil society in 2014.
- This funding aimed to influence the political landscape, particularly after the Crimea incident.
Brazil Censorship Substructure
- Brazil's Judge Demores wields significant power in censorship, criminalizing online speech.
- This power is supported by a substructure funded by the U.S. State Department and USAID.