For over 100 years, the U.S. government ‘tolerated’ freedom of speech because they virtually controlled the information that Americans received.
Whether it be from the government-controlled schools, or from watching one of the handful of ‘licensed’ TV stations, all Americans consumed the same pre-packaged “narratives.” There was no threat to the government from Americans speaking freely, as long as the “narratives” were controlled.
But that monopoly has been shattered with the Internet.
Americans now choose their sources of information, and while lies will always exist, the American people actually have fighting chance to hear the truth for once!
Under these circumstances, government is finding freedom of speech intolerable for their agendas.