Independent journalist Kevin Gosztola, author of Guilty of Journalism: The Political Case Against Julian Assange, rejoins the program to discuss Julian Assange's plea bargain with the US Department of Justice that finally frees the WikiLeaks founder from Britain's Belmarsh Prison. Assange, who was detained there for more than five years, was returned home to Australia a free man. The Assange legal case may be over, but Gosztola discusses the ongoing implications for press freedom, especially given the details of the deal where Assange was basically found...guilty of journalism? Then Mickey speaks with Project Censored's Kate Horgan, Reagan Haynie, and Shealeigh Voitl, authors of a new article in the special media literacy issue of The Progressive magazine. The piece, "Navigating the Digital Democracy," outlines the efforts of government and Big Tech to control or censor social media platforms (often without users' knowledge), and the countermeasures employed by online communities to maintain open and uncensored communications. The guests discuss how social media can influence the 2024 election and how critically media literate citizens can be more meaningfully, civically engaged.

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