contrast that with the 1920s, the previous free speech era, then it was the government putting eugene debs, candidate for president, in jail l for criticizing the war. so we've moved from the government is the threat to the broadcast networks to now the lawyers at the internet service providers. and it's the isp people who have a vastly more complicated task. >> and, of course, this show is to prove that it's not entirely a vast wasteland. >> thanks to c-span. we always say that whenever we appear. [laughter] >> so, um, another thing that you've grappled with in your writing and have for a long time are the multiple ways in which we fear that technology could compromise this, on unprecedented ways reputation and also freeze our identity. many people, including you, have focused in particular on the global, instantaneous impact of the internet and the persistence of it. i think most people when they're young commit mistakes. it's not that we stop committing them, but maybe the most grotesque ones happen when you're young. [laughter] >> speak for yourself. [laughter] i think i was. [laughter

was eugene debs not locked up for speaking out against world war ii under the espionage act?uest: he was thrown in jail related to world war i. part of the issue is there is not a lot of case law on the question of when you can use the espionage act. the most famous cases not you john deere -- eugene debs. it is the pentagon papers from vietnam. the washington -- the "washington post kulka wanted to publish how the u.s. got involved, and the government tried to obtain an injunction. if the supreme court famously said you cannot do that. to restrain publication you have to have the greatest national security issues -- interest. interestingly in that case, justice white said we cannot stop the press from running the story, but we may be -- we may be able to prosecute them after the effect for doing so. -- the fact for doing so. part of what is lurking in the background is the unanswered question of whether the first amendment what actually provide whistle blowers, the press, with some kind of defense should they be prosecuted by the government for disclose and even harmful nati

than then it was the government putting eugene debs, candidate for president, in jail for criticizing the war so we move from the government to the broadcast networks to now the lawyers of the internet service providers and they have a vastly more complicated task. >> this is to prove it's not entirely a vast wasteland. >> by definition. we always say that. [laughter] >> so another thing they have grappled with in your writing and have for a long time are the multiple ways in which we fear that technology could compromise in an unprecedented way recognition and also freeze on our dented the. many people including you have focused in particular on the global instantaneous impact of the internet and the persistence of it. i think most people when they are young commit stakes. it's not that we stop committing them but maybe the most grotesque ones happen when you are young. >> speak for yourself. [laughter] >> i see guy was. >> anyway, but the phrase forever young, do we really want to be forever callous? >> that doesn't sound so bad as an alternative but this problem of how to escape yo