How the Internet fuels real-world unrest and our part in it.

Two decades ago, the internet was a vibrant tapestry of global conversations. Forums, chat rooms, and early social media platforms allowed individuals from diverse backgrounds to engage in open dialogue, challenge each other’s perspectives, and build communities based on shared interests.

Today, that openness is waning. Algorithm-driven content curation, stringent moderation policies, and community enforcement mechanisms have, in many cases, stifled the essence of free expression. Platforms like Stack Overflow, Reddit, and Hacker News, once bastions of open discourse, now often suppress unconventional viewpoints through downvotes, shadow bans, and opaque moderation.

But this isn’t just about nostalgia for a freer internet. History and current events demonstrate that when people are denied avenues for open expression, frustration can fester, sometimes erupting into violence.

When Voices Are Silenced, Tensions Escalate

Algeria’s Civil War (1990s)

In the early 1990s, Algeria’s military canceled elections to prevent an Islamist party from gaining power. This suppression of democratic expression led to a brutal civil war. Between 1993 and 1995, 58 journalists were assassinated, and an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians lost their lives. The…