Freedom to Think

Fascinating… We have all sleepwalked into this gloomy fairytale, and it’s time to wake up. * Guardian *Freedom to Think could not be more timely… As the world experiences yet another brutal reminder of how far authoritarians will go to control and suppress their populations, [Alegre’s] recommendations feel freshly relevant. * Financial Times *Timely [and] thought-provoking… One of Alegre’s most compelling arguments for freedom of thought is that it allows us to try out ideas, to explore and test combinations of thoughts and concepts. * Times Literary Supplement *Profoundly essential and deeply engaging. If freedom of thought and the very possibility of a free society are to survive the digital century, then we urgently need the rights and laws that will make it so. Thankfully, Alegre stands with us to lead and light the way, beginning with her compelling, powerful, and necessary book. * Shoshana Zuboff, author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism *Engaging and thought-provoking… [a] hard-hitting examination of the evils of Big Tech and, to a lesser extent, the surveillance state. * Literary Review *A brilliant, accessible book by a brilliant lawyer. Freedom of thought is a fundamental human right and Susie Alegre powerfully argues that it needs to be harnessed now. * Helena Kennedy QC, author of Eve was Framed *Freedom to Think identifies and then fills a gaping hole in how we consider the world. It is a book that will shake and refresh, but ultimately leave you more hopeful about the future. * Alison Goldsworthy, CEO of The Depolarization Project and author of Poles Apart *Engaging and entertaining. A call to action on one of the most pressing issues of our time. * Jennifer Robinson, leading human rights lawyer *Alegre asks a provocative and original question as we struggle to understand and react to our increasingly technologized world: are we losing our freedom of thought? Her ideas are much needed. * David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect *A thoughtful and engaging book: profound, moving, and even funny. * Johnny Ryan, leading privacy campaigner *In the absence of adequate scrutiny or accountability, technology has developed to undermine the keystone for human dignity: the right to freedom of thought. In this timely and pioneering book Alegre contributes a sorely needed vision for how we may protect a “forgotten freedom” and collectively avert an Orwellian future. This book is an insightful and urgent wake-up call. * Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief *Powerful and persuasive. This important, finely written book explains why we must protect that most fundamental of our freedoms at a time when it is in danger of being overborne by profit-making propaganda, fake news and hate-fuelled social media. * Geoffrey Robertson QC, founder of Doughty Street Chambers *Freedom to Think is an effective wake-up call for those unaware of the scale of efforts to restrict and control our thoughts. * Engineering & Technology *

Susie Alegre is a leading human rights barrister at the internationally renowned Doughty Street Chambers. She has been a legal pioneer in digital human rights, in particular the impact of artificial intelligence on the human rights of freedom of thought and opinion. She is also Senior Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton.