Figuratively, a word is made up of individual letters but they have only a theoretical existence. The very concept of letters having their own physical existence is, philosophically, extremely worrying. Indeed, it would be like noses and fingers running around the world all by themselves.
The truth will out, or at least it's going to try to, any minute. New printing technology means that words just won't obediently stay nailed down like usual. They can now be taken apart and used to make other words. Which is downright dangerous. There's a very real threat of news getting out there. Of people finding out what is really going on. And the powers that be aren't happy - they want that to be far from the truth.
If they are to call a halt to this madness of free speech, they may have the succumb to their despotic tendencies. But will they, in this brave new world, still be able to have the last word?