The Critic Magazine

26 May 2022

Are contentious beliefs and opinions going to be taken offline? In the June issue of The Critic, Toby Young explains why he fears a “censors’ charter”, unpicking the government’s Online Safety Bill to reveal the law of unintended consequences that the legislation unleashes to silence free speech on the internet. Also, Kit Wilson examines how the ethical limits of advances in Artificial Intelligence can be policed worldwide, Charles Wide fears the Court of Appeal has too limited a frame of reference to consider the legality of statue-toppling, and Julie Bindel takes on feminists who think the sex trade is liberating. Among the culture, life, and sport critics and reviewers, Anne McElvoy reviews the revival of Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem to gauge whether it still deserves its “play of the century” status, Stephen Pollard thinks today’s jockeys are better than ever, and, following the sale of an Andy Warhol silkscreen for $195 million, Michael Prodger explores how auction houses’ PR hype fuels the international art trade. Along with a special section on literature, the June issue of The Critic is the magazine of ideas for open-minded readers.