Professor Richard Moon comments on America's defense of extremist speech following violence at the US Capitol

Photo of Professor Richard Moon

In a CNN article, Professor Richard Moon commented on America's defense of extremist speech following violence at the US Capitol.

"Hate speech and false claims on the internet can have consequences -- and are not just steam being blown off," said Professor Moon. "Hateful speech plays to fear and resentment -- appealing to the audience at a visceral level. It is often directed at a sympathetic audience in a context that limits the opportunity for debate and reflection. In such circumstances, some in the audience may take seriously the message of hate speech and follow its logic to a violent conclusion."

Bad actors harnessed free speech to fool the Capitol rioters into believing an election was stolen, justifying their anger and pushing them to violence, Professor Moon said. While he worries efforts to ban hateful, harassing or misleading speech might become overinclusive, he said, he's not convinced that's happening.

"Limiting the spread of false information -- particularly to a mob -- is not going to lead to more violence," adds Professor Moon. "I'm not persuaded that the frustration at not being able to reach a significant audience outweighs the risks that come with spreading hatred and disinformation. There is more reason to think that denying hatemongers a platform cuts off their oxygen."

Read the full article on CNN's website.