The Slow Death of Journalism, with Matt Taibbi

Digital censorship has evolved from a reactive measure against foreign interference into a pervasive, bureaucratic system involving collaboration between government agencies and tech platforms. The "Twitter Files" exposed this hidden infrastructure, revealing how entities like the FBI and State Department influenced content moderation under the guise of combating disinformation. While these formal bureaucracies have partially dismantled, the underlying problem persists as private platforms continue to de-amplify content based on opaque criteria. This environment, coupled with the legacy media's failure to maintain objective standards—exemplified by the handling of the Hunter Biden laptop and Russiagate—has fostered a climate of informational nihilism. Consequently, audiences increasingly turn toward conspiracism, further distancing the public from verified facts and undermining the foundational role of journalism in a democratic society.