Ideas worth spreading

We can fight terror without sacrificing our rights

1,171,517 views | Rebecca MacKinnon • TEDSummit

Can we fight terror without destroying democracy? Internet freedom activist Rebecca MacKinnon thinks that we'll lose the battle against extremism and demagoguery if we censor the internet and press. In this critical talk, she calls for a doubling-down on strong encryption and appeals to governments to better protect, not silence, the journalists and activists fighting against extremists.

Can we fight terror without destroying democracy? Internet freedom activist Rebecca MacKinnon thinks that we'll lose the battle against extremism and demagoguery if we censor the internet and press. In this critical talk, she calls for a doubling-down on strong encryption and appeals to governments to better protect, not silence, the journalists and activists fighting against extremists.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Check out about Global Voices Advocacy — a global anti-censorship network of bloggers and activists dedicated to protecting freedom of expression online.

Learn more about Ranking Digital Rights, a non-profit research initiative which evaluates the world’s most powerful Internet and telecommunications companies on their commitments, policies and practices that affect users' freedom of expression and privacy.

About the speaker

Rebecca MacKinnon

Internet freedom activist

See speaker profile

Rebecca MacKinnon looks at issues of free expression, governance and democracy (or lack of) in the digital networks, platforms and services on which we are all more and more dependent.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Check out about Global Voices Advocacy — a global anti-censorship network of bloggers and activists dedicated to protecting freedom of expression online.

Learn more about Ranking Digital Rights, a non-profit research initiative which evaluates the world’s most powerful Internet and telecommunications companies on their commitments, policies and practices that affect users' freedom of expression and privacy.