Support Freedom of the Press, Choose Epoch TV

Support Freedom of the Press, Choose Epoch TV
The First Amendment of the Constitution. (Illustration/Shutterstock)
Ryan Yang
8/12/2021
Updated:
8/30/2021

The United States of America was founded on the idea that every person has a set of inalienable, God-given rights that must be protected at all costs. Among them are the freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, and the freedom of the press. The First Amendment of the American Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, preventing censorship and ensuring that information reaches every corner of the country.

But these rights had to be defended throughout American history from those who strove to take them away.

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 was the first major test for this American system. It made criticism of the government illegal, thereby stifling the freedom of speech and the press in America. But the American people would not rest while their rights were taken from them before their very eyes. Protests broke out across the country as the people called on the government to repeal the acts. Noting the public outrage, the government eventually allowed the Alien and Sedition Acts to expire in the early 1800s.

In the following centuries, as the United States continued to grow, so did instances of censorship. Preceding the Civil War, the U.S. Postmaster General refused to deliver abolitionist pamphlets to the South. During both World Wars and the Cold War, the government made it illegal for the media to cast the government in a negative light.

Now, big tech companies are censoring information like never before. Hundreds of millions of Americans use social media to connect with the world around them, and these companies use their large user base to their advantage. Leveraging their control over the flow of information, these companies decide what news reaches the public. In doing so, they can create false narratives and silence anyone so long as it suits their interests.

This is eerily similar to the strategies employed by totalitarian regimes around the world. The Hitler-led Nazis utilized an extensive propaganda campaign to manipulate public opinion in their favor. In communist countries like China, state-run media push false narratives that benefit the government while shutting down opposing viewpoints.

Truthful reporting is not welcome by those regimes since it can shed light on issues they want to cover up. These big tech companies operate by the same philosophy, censoring information that doesn’t cooperate with the narratives they have created. Numerous individuals and organizations have already fallen prey to this kind of censorship, including even the president of the United States himself.

The Epoch Times has been censored as well. Our reporters and programs have been blocked, demonetized, and flagged as “false information” by many of the largest platforms because we cover the stories they don’t want the public to know about.

So in response, we are proud to announce that we have created a brand new platform free from big tech censorship. Built with traditional media values in mind, EpochTV brings unfiltered, unbiased news coverage back to the American public.

Join EpochTV today and get access to award-winning documentaries, breaking news analysis, and thought-provoking interviews all in one convenient location.

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Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Based in New York City, Ryan Yang writes thorough opinion pieces that tackle tough issues in today's world. With his background in history, Ryan specializes in exploring lessons from the past while providing compelling commentary on current events.
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