Fairness and Progress can be achieved when all voices are heard
Welcome to the Institute for a Better Internet
We are working to ensure all voices are heard so that decisions have the benefit of all views; and are fighting to protect citizens and news organizations from government encroachment on their right to free speech. We sponsor research to advance the value of due process with respect to violations that may result in loss of free speech and expression, and in doing so ensure transparency, shared standards, and fairness. Additionally, we sponsor research exploring the boundaries of protected speech – including speech serving no other purpose than intending explicit harm to persons, and education efforts for young people to openly consider the values of free speech and free press for fairness and progress in American.
Our Vision
We have a vision of a day when fairness and progress flourishes in America because its citizens can access and discuss ideas and principles without worry about government efforts at censorship and shutting down public debates and discussions.
1st Amendment
14th Amendment
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
IBI News
Are Online Platforms Flunking?
It seems so simple: a grading system for online platforms to see how they’re performing in terms of safety and viewpoint neutrality. If an objective
How Trump and Congress can work together to prevent future government censorship
As the Biden administration finishes its last days, one unfortunate truth revealed during the term was the magnitude of government censorship, particularly on the internet.
To Obama, Clinton, Walz, Harris: Who Decides Which Content Is True or Harmful? Is This a Campaign Issue?
There is a compelling reason that the Supreme Court has regularly ruled that falsehoods are protected speech. The Court openly recognizes that falsehoods can be harmful and
How an online transparency mandate can improve content moderation
The subject of online content moderation has been a controversial topic in the country’s political discourse in recent years. It has also been at the
Stop letting governments request social media censorship in secret
Governments around the world routinely request global social media and search platforms to remove content. This can be a positive thing if the content in question
Fixing the Internet Redux
Ron interviewed Mike Matthys of the Institute for a Better Institute in a simpler time. They’ve grown; they’ve learned; and Mike is back to bring
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ABOUT US
IBI Started When Three Friends Discovered a Shared Concern
The Beginning
IBI started in March 2021 with a clear goal: to be non-partisan champion for free speech, free press, and due process related to free speech and free press. These freedoms are essential for the country to build a path toward fairness and progress which are the key themes of IBI.
The co-founders Brian Jackson, Mike Matthys and John Quinn all grew up in Iowa – two have known each other since middle school and all three have known each other since the early 1980s.
IBI is focused on free speech, free press, and due process related to free speech and free speech in order to ensure the country continues on a path toward fairness and progress. Fairness and progress are the key themes for IBI.
Who we are
Among the co-founders, John is the one who has been active in various political groups including work in Democratic candidate campaigns, Climate Reality and American Promise.“I joined IBI with Mike and Brian after observing my friends, including a well-respected journalist, getting blocked on Facebook for posting articles on how other countries like South Africa are using well-known medicines to help people with Covid or Lyme disease. It seems these platforms may be following their own science rather than allowing users to post scientific information from abroad.” John Quinn on why he cofounded IBI.
Brian has been an insider within Google and Facebook engineering organizations for years. “Both companies are full of smart people, but I don’t think either of them truly want the responsibility of judging what content should or should not be blocked. I decided to help co- found IBI after being concerned by media handling of election stories, and later became further concerned to see a well-known author have one of his books removed from Amazon without so much as an explanation.” Brian Jackson on why he co-founded IBI.
Mike has been a long-time Silicon Valley executive with many years of experience living and working overseas. “Living in several overseas countries has given me a sense of what press censorship and speech self-censorship looks like. After seeing leaders in Congress write a letter to regulated TV companies like Comcast and AT&T, I recognized this as an effort at government censorship of certain TV channels with whom these leaders of Congress disagreed on political issues. Talking with many friends who are primarily left-center or liberal, I found most people in Silicon Valley recognized this was not good for the country – regardless of whether they believe those TV channels are good or bad.” Mike Matthys on why he co- founded IBI.
Mike Matthys
Silicon Valley
Tech Bus Exec
Mike grew up in Iowa and has worked for several decades in the telecom industry and then with Silicon Valley technology businesses. He is a tennis player “wannabe” who has 4 children and has lived and is an internationalist who has worked in Sydney, Tokyo, London and Amsterdam. Mike has noticed how people and entities in different countries and cultures handle free speech and how this can include self-censorship to avoid government pressures or social consequences.
John Quinn
Dallas, Texas
Transportation Exec
John grew up in Iowa, lived in South Africa during apartheid, and has worked in major urban mass transit organizations in Texas for several decades. He is a long-time outdoor enthusiast and a Leader in Al Gore’s Climate Reality organization. John has actively supported Democratic political campaigns in both Iowa and Texas. John became interested in free speech issues after observing blocked speech related to medical science. He is also actively engaged working with the American Promise organization to overturn the Citizen’s United Supreme Court decision.