Jacob Mchangama

Jacob Mchangama

Jacob Mchangama is a lawyer, human-rights advocate, author, podcast host, and founder and executive director of the think tank Justitia. He has written about free speech and human rights in outlets including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy. He is the creator of the podcast Clear and Present Danger: a history of free speech and author of the 2022 book Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media.

A detailed black and white illustration of a toad on a green background, with the word "Car" written below it.
3 min
If the people controlling AI are biased, the output will also be. Free speech scholar Jacob Mchangama makes the case for completely open-source AI.
Painting depicting a man with a crown of thorns, arms outstretched on a wooden cross, with a sign above his head that reads "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.
3 min
When Jesus was crucified, it led to even more followers. When books are banned, people flock to read them. Humans are fascinated by the forbidden, which is why censorship – especially in the digital age – doesn’t work. Jacob Mchangama explains.
A close-up of two hands carving a feathered arrow shaft with a knife against a dark background.
2 min
Free speech may be messy, but censorship is deadly. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
Close-up of a classical painting showing a woman in a white headscarf looking upward with her lips pressed together; background is dark.
7 min
Free speech can amplify hatred, but it also protects the fight against it. Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama explains.
free speech
Although saying the wrong thing could often get you killed in ancient civilizations, history shows that the ideal of free speech has deep roots.