Doha Debates Podcast

Has disagreement become disinformation?

The battle over online disinformation is usually framed as a fight for truth. But it is also a fight over power.  As platforms tighten policies, algorithms quietly shape visibility and experts step in as arbiters of credibility, a deeper question emerges: are these systems protecting open discourse or controlling it?  In this episode of the Doha Debates Podcast, we explore the rise of digital censorship and the growing assumption that the public cannot be trusted to think critically without supervision. Can harmful falsehoods be reduced without eroding the right to freely exchange ideas? And who decides where the line between protection and control is drawn?  Experts join moderator Mohamed Hassan to debate how truth is defined, who gets to define it and what ethical responsibilities come with that authority.  💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Renée DiResta: Author and associate research professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy   Glenn Greenwald: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, former constitutional lawyer and New York Times bestselling author  Siva Vaidhyanathan: Professor of Media Studies and director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia 

A new season of the Doha Debates Podcast 🎙️

Start the year 2026 with us as we discuss the questions shaping our world: What happens when disagreement is labeled disinformation? Can aging be cured — and should it be? After Gaza, who decides what justice looks like?  The Doha Debates Podcast returns with a bold, reimagined season, featuring Majlis-style debates that challenge you to think differently. Each week, our moderators sit down with experts to explore these big issues through a wide range of perspectives.   🗓️ First episode premieres Tuesday, January 6 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday 🔔 Subscribe and join the conversation! 

Global order: Which principles should shape our future?

Today, the global order is facing challenges from shifting power and ongoing conflicts around the world. In this moment of rapid change, our latest town hall sought to examine the competing values and principles that underpin our societies—and uncover fundamental truths about which philosophical building blocks are most essential to building a better, more equitable and peaceful world.Expert guests Victor Gao, Hina Khar and Vali Nasr, together with an onstage audience of students and recent graduates, joined us to explore this urgent question: which principles should shape our future? This Doha Debates town hall was moderated by journalist Femi Oke and produced in partnership with Doha Forum. It was filmed in Doha, Qatar on December 6, 2024.

Narrative Power: Are Western narratives promoting global justice?

For the greater part of a century, conversations and narratives about global justice and free speech have been dominated by the West. From seminal works of history to newspapers of record to media networks to politics to public discourse, Western voices have often been louder than the rest. And while the West has long claimed to act in the name of democracy, equality and freedom, some wonder whether it always lives up to its own ideals. Can the world rely on Western media, politics and public rhetoric to promote global justice, or is it simply furthering its own interests?At the tenth Bradford Literature Festival, speakers Fatima Bhutto, Steve Clemons and Konstantin Kisin came together alongside an onstage audience of students and recent graduates for a lively town hall exploring how this narrative control plays out on the world stage.This Doha Debates town hall was moderated by journalist Remona Aly and produced in partnership with Bradford Literature Festival. It was filmed at University of Bradford in Bradford, England on July 6, 2024.

Should everything be up for debate?

At Doha Debates, we believe that debate can help solve some of the world's most challenging problems. But are there limits to what free speech and debate can accomplish? Social media has allowed more people to connect and share their perspectives than ever before. That has led to an immense amount of learning and progress—but it's also led to an uptick in hate speech and misinformation, online and IRL. Today, anyone can have a platform—but should they? Is everything up for debate, or should some things be out of bounds?Jacob Mchangama, founder and executive director of The Future of Free Speech think tank, argues that free speech and open debate are the only ways to build and secure open and tolerant societies. He thinks we should all be able to speak our minds, and says that engaging with people and perspectives we disagree with can help sharpen our own opinions or help us learn something new. Author and journalist David Stubbs says that unlimited free speech tends to favor extreme voices and that certain ideas, like climate denial, don’t deserve a platform and are “just plain wrong.” Listen to Doha Debates Podcast as these experts discuss the limits of debate and the future of free speech.