I disagree, I think we've had nothing but. In the developed world, we can't see the forest for the trees. Our gauges are centered elsewhere, and we can't even imagine ever running out.

But we do see what people are saying, and communicating and in general being unapologetic about. In fact it's all we ever see, is people lying through their teeth, pandering, proselytizing. Denying climate change, dog-whistling, cancelling firefly. We see it and hear it all day, year round. There's free and protected expression flying over our heads from every direction constantly, more than ever, and causing grief and harm that we see (well... perceive) and feel (or indulge). Still there is a perceived democratic deficit. It's a paradox, but we don't think of it as one, it's more like dissonance. Freedom in general and freedom of speech in particular is just not what it's trumped up to be.