Generation Z’s attitude toward free speech is chilling: New survey

The nonpartisan Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression just released its latest College Free Speech Rankings, and its report includes some chilling revelations about college students’ attitudes toward free expression. (Disclaimer: I do some freelance consulting work with FIRE.) The organization surveyed 58,807 undergraduate students; here’s what it found. 

A whopping 52% of students think it can be acceptable to block other students from attending a controversial campus speech, way up from just 37% saying the same thing as recently as 2022. Meanwhile, a shocking 32% of students think using violence to block a campus speech can be acceptable, up from 20% saying the same in 2022. And finally, an astounding 68% of students said “shouting down” a controversial speaker can be acceptable, up from 62% in 2022.