Speech, Democracy, and the Internet

This seminar examines the legal and policy issues that shape public discourse in the digital age. It provides a foundation in First Amendment principles, U.S. jurisprudence on free expression, and major debates over content moderation, platform accountability, data privacy, surveillance, and transparency. Students will explore how private technology platforms shape democratic engagement and how governments—particularly in the United States and the European Union—are responding through regulation and reform.

The course integrates case law, policy analysis, and applied research. Students will learn to assess regulatory frameworks, evaluate competing policy proposals, and develop original work at the intersection of law, technology, and public policy. This course may be taken on its own or as the gateway to a practicum in which students contribute to policy projects developed in collaboration with SIPA faculty and the Knight Institute.