Support Free Speech Without the Outrage Machine
Take a small, yet powerful action, today.
We’ve all seen the cycle: outrage, dunking, victory laps, repeat. It burns hot, changes little, and leaves everyone a little more brittle. There’s a better path for everyday people who actually want to protect free speech: calm, visible, repeatable moves that reward the places where speech stays open—and quietly starve the places turning the mic off.
Here’s the basic idea. Free speech survives when regular citizens make it advantageous to carry diverse viewpoints. Broadcasters, platforms, and brands notice two things faster than anything else: where people spend time and where people spend money. You don’t need to argue online all day. You just need to direct those two levers with intention.
Start with Switch & Reward. Pick one outlet that carries the show or viewpoint that’s being squeezed. Follow or subscribe. Then, choose a single advertiser you already like and make a small purchase. Leave a short, positive review noting why you chose them (“Thanks for backing free speech”). That’s not noise—that’s a market signal.
Next, practice Pause & Notify. If an outlet or sponsor is leaning into censorship, pause your purchases. Then send a respectful note: “I’m pausing because free speech matters to me. If you carry it, I’ll be back.” No threats. No pile-ons. Just clear incentives.
But doesn’t this all take a lot of my time? Not really. Most actions fit in two to ten minutes. A quick follow. A two-sentence comment. A small purchase you were going to make anyway, directed toward a supportive brand. The point isn’t to be perfect; it’s to be consistent. Think of it as civic strength training—short reps, repeated weekly.
Will this move anything? Yes, and here’s why. Media buys are made by humans who have bosses and dashboards. When supportive posts and purchases stack up, those humans bring screenshots and receipts to meetings. When polite pause notes accumulate, those humans do the same. Over time, outlets that keep the stage open get rewarded. Those that don’t feel pressure to change. It’s not a boycott mob; it’s incentives 101.
A few guardrails:
keep it respectful (we target policies, not people)
nonpartisan (left, right, middle—everyone is welcome)
specific (name the outlet/brand once; mention “free speech”)
Celebrate wins by resuming support and saying so publicly. That’s how we make this sustainable and fair.
If you’re tired of being told you must scream to be heard, try the opposite: speak softly, carry a clear plan, and spend with intention. The public square doesn’t need more heat. It needs more citizens.
Do something now (2 minutes): thank one sponsor publicly for supporting free speech, and follow one outlet that keeps it open. Get the toolkit and take a small action today.
