Liar in a Crowded Theater

"One of the best books about free speech ever written."

"Incredibly well written and imminently readable. By outlining the reasoning against overregulating misinformation and disinformation, Kosseff effectively argues that we can minimize the impact of falsehoods on society while still respecting our tradition of protecting free speech in this country."

"Kosseff uses both historical and recent stories to push back on common misconceptions about misinformation, outline current efforts to ban false speech, and provide the historic background on this topic that crosses centuries of law and tradition in the United States. This book will shape the discussion around the right to lie and what should be done about it."

"Liar in a Crowded Theater is required reading for any pundit, politician, or talking head who wants to opine on government regulation of Americans' speech. Jeff Kosseff provides cogent suggestions for encouraging more truthful, positive speech without resorting to heavy-handed government policies that would do little to solve the harms caused by lies and misinformation."

"Creative, clear-eyed, and incisive as ever, Jeff Kosseff brings us the story of why we care about protecting free speech and why we need to get the stories right about when free speech isn't a priority. Kosseff dispels myths and clears the way to think about lies and disinformation in the twenty-first century."

"The idea that free speech has been 'weaponized' against democracy has become popular in the digital age. In Liar in a Crowded Theater, Jeff Kosseff provides an engaging and compelling account of why and how the First Amendment remains indispensable for both democracy and truth in the 21st century."

"A smart, wry, deeply researched, and utterly convincing defense of legal protections for 'misinformation' in an age when we are less likely to agree on basic facts than ever before."