Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex go deep with tech journalist Taylor Lorenz on how social media shapes our perceptions of US foreign policy, and why war hawks like Hillary Clinton want to make it harder for Americans to get access to independent info on war and peace.
First, they discuss how the internet went from being treated by US politicians as an emancipatory tool during the Arab Spring to a dangerous source of misinformation during the war on Gaza, as evidenced by recent comments by viral comments by Clinton and Sarah Hurwitz.
Next, they unpack the role of social media sites like TikTok in Americans' rapidly shifting views on Israel, and the power that these platforms have to suppress, disincentivize, and even ban content related to conflicts and diplomacy.
Finally, they take a look at current efforts in Washington to restrict Americans' access to information through social media and the internet in the name of safety, and discuss what these efforts mean for the future of foreign policy dissent.
00:00 — Introduction
05:43 — The Narrative Flip: From "Freedom" to Censorship
09:33 — The TikTok Ban & Gaza
24:40 — The War Machine Wants Your Data
33:42 — Algo-Speak & The Future of Digital Dissent on Foreign Policy
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Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions.
Each episode, they’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.
Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org
Show art by Justin Hantz
###
Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank.
Help fund our research: quincyinst.org/donations
Read our reporting: ResponsibleStatecraft.org
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
TikTok: tiktok.com/quincyinst
Facebook: facebook.com/quincyinst
Instagram: instagram.com//quincyinst
Website: quincyinst.org
On this episode of Always at War, Courtney and Alex go deep with tech journalist Taylor Lorenz on how social media shapes our perceptions of US foreign policy, and why war hawks like Hillary Clinton want to make it harder for Americans to get access to independent info on war and peace.
First, they discuss how the internet went from being treated by US politicians as an emancipatory tool during the Arab Spring to a dangerous source of misinformation during the war on Gaza, as evidenced by recent comments by viral comments by Clinton and Sarah Hurwitz.
Next, they unpack the role of social media sites like TikTok in Americans' rapidly shifting views on Israel, and the power that these platforms have to suppress, disincentivize, and even ban content related to conflicts and diplomacy.
Finally, they take a look at current efforts in Washington to restrict Americans' access to information through social media and the internet in the name of safety, and discuss what these efforts mean for the future of foreign policy dissent.
00:00 — Introduction
05:43 — The Narrative Flip: From "Freedom" to Censorship
09:33 — The TikTok Ban & Gaza
24:40 — The War Machine Wants Your Data
33:42 — Algo-Speak & The Future of Digital Dissent on Foreign Policy
###
Why is America seemingly always at war? Join the Quincy Institute’s Courtney Rawlings and Alex Jordan as they expose the monied interests, outdated ideologies, and entrenched powers that have driven the U.S. to wage nearly 400 wars and interventions.
Each episode, they’ll be joined by journalists, advocates, and experts to uncover who profits from America’s endless conflicts, and to imagine how we can build a better, more peaceful U.S. foreign policy.
Learn more about the Quincy Institute: quincyinst.org
Contact the show: alwaysatwar@quincyinst.org
Show art by Justin Hantz
###
Quincy Institute is an independent, nonprofit think tank.
Help fund our research: quincyinst.org/donations
Read our reporting: ResponsibleStatecraft.org
Twitter: https://x.com/QuincyInst
TikTok: tiktok.com/quincyinst
Facebook: facebook.com/quincyinst
Instagram: instagram.com//quincyinst
Website: quincyinst.org
