# Multimedia Multimedia --- - [Podcasts](/podcasts) - [Cato Video](/multimedia/cato-video) - [Video Series](/search/category/video-series) - [Events](/multimedia/events) [ Download Episode ](https://feeds.acast.com/public/streams/5e28e0d8963f166217546493/episodes/6866cb044dba2f2c0a89aa67.mp3)Subscribe: [ Apple Podcasts ](http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/cato-daily-podcast/id158961219) [ Spotify ](https://open.spotify.com/show/4dHRhKEljj8zcLdl3Gvsv7) Cato Weekly Podcast • July 8, 2025 # Misinformation in the Age of AI Is misinformation really a new crisis—or just the latest chapter in a centuries-old debate over truth, speech, and power? In this episode, Cato Institute’s Jennifer Huddleston and David Inserra unpack the cultural and policy panic surrounding misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI, deepfakes, and viral tweets. Who should decide what counts as truth online? Plus, why humility, media literacy, and a competitive internet might be better solutions than censorship. #### Show Notes [![ChatGPT Typing on Laptop](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-02/ChatGPT-typing-laptop.jpg?itok=ssCIJPIh)](https://www.cato.org/testimony/ai-future-our-elections) Testimony ### [AI and the Future of Our Elections](/testimony/ai-future-our-elections) By [Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston) The last few election cycles in the United States have seen rising fears about misinformation, disinformation, and deepfakes. [![faded facebook logo](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2020-05/202005_facebook.jpg?itok=c1KF8ygD)](https://www.cato.org/public-comments/oversight-board-comment-misinformation-manipulated-media-importance-free-expression) Public Comments ### [Oversight Board Comment on Misinformation and Manipulated Media: The Importance of Free Expression in the Debate over Misinformation](/public-comments/oversight-board-comment-misinformation-manipulated-media-importance-free-expression) By [Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston) and [David Inserra](https://www.cato.org/people/david-inserra) It is critical that criticism of public figures and leaders be allowed and not hampered in the name of countering misinformation [![Artificial Intelligence - AI](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-01/GettyImages-1473098854.jpg?itok=Ycta7ax2)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/rush-regulate-ai-could-be-death-parody) Commentary ### [The Rush to Regulate AI Could Be the Death of Parody](/commentary/rush-regulate-ai-could-be-death-parody) By [Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston) A new bill may have far-reaching consequences for much of the online creativity that we already enjoy — and chill speech more generally. [![Free Speech 16x9](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-10/Free-Speech-Cropped.png?itok=FQ301p0t)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/actually-tim-walz-first-amendment-does-protect-misinformation-hate-speech) Commentary ### [Actually, Tim Walz, the First Amendment Does Protect Misinformation and “Hate Speech”](/commentary/actually-tim-walz-first-amendment-does-protect-misinformation-hate-speech) By [David Inserra](https://www.cato.org/people/david-inserra) and [Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston) Kamala Harris’s running mate is wrong: Free speech, including potentially misleading or offensive speech, isn’t a threat to democracy. [![AI artificial](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-11/AI.jpg?itok=PtjVG4xf)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/what-past-can-teach-us-about-our-ai-fears) Commentary ### [What the Past Can Teach Us about Our AI Fears](/commentary/what-past-can-teach-us-about-our-ai-fears) By [Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston) and Emma Hopp Regulating AI could threaten free speech, just as earlier proposed regulations of other media once did. [![FCC, net neutrality](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-09/FCC%2C%20getty%20.png?itok=tQaek9nP)](https://www.cato.org/public-comments/comments-response-fcc-delete-delete-delete-initiative) Public Comments ### [Comments in Response to FCC “Delete, Delete, Delete” Initiative](/public-comments/comments-response-fcc-delete-delete-delete-initiative) By [David Inserra](https://www.cato.org/people/david-inserra) and [Brent Skorup](https://www.cato.org/people/brent-skorup) It is unnecessary in the modern media landscape and harmful to expression by threatening politically motivated accusations and investigations. [![Misinformation](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2025-06/misinformation-header.jpg?itok=pW9kZA5m)](https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/misleading-panic-over-misinformation) Study ### [The Misleading Panic over Misinformation](/policy-analysis/misleading-panic-over-misinformation) By [David Inserra](https://www.cato.org/people/david-inserra) People can’t agree on how to define misinformation and its related terms, making regulation nearly impossible. Instead, free expression serves as a better tool for discovering truth. [![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). ##### Featuring [![Jennifer-Huddleston-img-cropped2.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-06/Jennifer-Huddleston-img-cropped2.jpg?itok=nA04B0o7)](/people/jennifer-huddleston) ##### [Jennifer Huddleston](/people/jennifer-huddleston) Senior Fellow, Cato Institute [ ](https://x.com/jrhuddles) [![David-Inserra-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-11/David-Inserra-cropped.jpg?itok=UVcZA19i)](/people/david-inserra) ##### [David Inserra](/people/david-inserra) Fellow for Free Expression and Technology, Cato Institute [ ](https://x.com/dr_inserra)