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Mike Godwin Quotes

The First Amendment was designed to protect offensive speech, because nobody ever tries to ban the other kind.

The First Amendment was designed to protect offensive speech, because nobody ever tries to ban the other kind.

Mike Godwin
Freedom Of Speech, Trying, Firsts

If you mention Adolf Hitler or Nazis within a discussion thread, you've automatically ended whatever discussion you were taking part in.

Mike Godwin
Nazi, Thread, Discussion

I worry about my child and the Internet all the time, even though she's too young to have logged on yet. Here's what I worry about. I worry that 10 or 15 years from now, she will come to me and say 'Daddy, where were you when they took freedom of the press away from the Internet?'

Mike Godwin
Appreciation, Children, Years

In short, individual freedom of speech leads to a stronger society. But knowing that principle is not enough. You have to know how to put it to use on the Net.

Mike Godwin
Knowing, Freedom Of Speech, Stronger
Mike Godwin (1998). “Cyber Rights: Defending Free Speech in the Digital Age”, Crown Business

The remedy for the abuse of free speech is more speech.

Mike Godwin
Abuse, Speech, Free Speech
"Cyber Rights". Book by Mike Godwin, 1998.

Striking a balance in favor of individual rights has always been the right decision for us and that it remains so even when technology gives us new ways to exercise those rights. Individual liberty has never weakened us; freedom of speech, enhanced by the Net, will only make us stronger.

Mike Godwin
Exercise, Technology, Rights
Mike Godwin (1998). “Cyber Rights: Defending Free Speech in the Digital Age”, Crown Business

Exploring and understanding the Net is an ongoing process. Cyberspace never sits still; it evolves as fast as society itself. Only if we fight to preserve our freedom of speech on the Net will we ensure our ability to keep up with both the Net and society.

Mike Godwin
Fighting, Understanding, Freedom Of Speech
Mike Godwin (1998). “Cyber Rights: Defending Free Speech in the Digital Age”, Crown Business

Fertilizer played a greater role in this case than computers.

Mike Godwin
Roles, Computer, Internet

I wanted folks who glibly compared someone else to Hitler or to Nazis to think a bit harder about the Holocaust.

Mike Godwin
Thinking, Holocaust, Nazi

The decisions we make about the Internet don't affect just the Internet – they are answers to basic questions about the relationship each citizen has to the government and about the extent to which we trust one another with the full range of fundamental rights granted by the Constitution.

Mike Godwin
Rights, Government, Decisions We Make
Mike Godwin (1998). “Cyber Rights: Defending Free Speech in the Digital Age”, Crown Business

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