Free Speech

Extracted Attributes

• Scope

  Often used interchangeably with 'freedom of expression,' which is a broader right encompassing the ability to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any medium.

• Definition

  A principle supporting the freedom of an individual or community to articulate opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction.

• Legal Basis

  Enshrined in constitutional laws of many countries, including Article 19 of the UDHR and ICCPR, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

• Limitations

  Not absolute; can be subject to restrictions for reasons such as protecting national security, public order, public health, morals, or respecting the rights and reputations of others.

• Recognition

  Recognized as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law.

• Common Restrictions

  Libel, slander, obscenity, pornography, sedition, incitement, fighting words, hate speech, classified information, copyright violation, trade secrets, non-disclosure agreements, right to privacy, dignity, right to be forgotten, public security, blasphemy, and perjury.

• Digital Age Implications

  Subject to internet censorship by countries/organizations and content moderation by social media platforms.

• Justifications for Limitations

  Harm principle (proposed by John Stuart Mill) and offense principle.

Timeline

• Freedom of expression recognized as a human right in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1948-12-10

• Freedom of expression further codified in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), adding provisions for necessary restrictions. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1966-12-16

• Mark Zuckerberg decides for Meta to embrace Community Notes from X (formerly Twitter), shifting away from third-party fact-checkers for content moderation. (Source: Related Documents)

  Unknown

Freedom of speech

Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law. Many countries have constitutional laws that protect freedom of speech. Terms such as free speech, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression are often used interchangeably in political discourse. However, in legal contexts, freedom of expression more broadly encompasses the right to seek, receive, and impart information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. Article 19 of the UDHR states that "everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference" and "everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice". The version of Article 19 in the ICCPR later amends this by stating that the exercise of these rights carries "special duties and responsibilities" and may "therefore be subject to certain restrictions" when necessary "[f]or respect of the rights or reputation of others" or "[f]or the protection of national security or public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals". Therefore, freedom of speech and expression may not be recognized as absolute. Common limitations or boundaries to freedom of speech relate to libel, slander, obscenity, pornography, sedition, incitement, fighting words, hate speech, classified information, copyright violation, trade secrets, food labeling, non-disclosure agreements, the right to privacy, dignity, the right to be forgotten, public security, blasphemy and perjury. Justifications for such include the harm principle, proposed by John Stuart Mill in On Liberty, which suggests that "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others". The "offense principle" is also used to justify speech limitations, describing the restriction on forms of expression deemed offensive to society, considering factors such as extent, duration, motives of the speaker, and ease with which it could be avoided. With the evolution of the digital age, new means of communication emerged. However, these means are also subject to new restrictions. Countries or organizations may use internet censorship to block undesirable or illegal material. Social media platforms frequently use content moderation to filter or remove user-generated content that is deemed against the terms of service, even if that content is not illegal.

Web Search Results

• Freedom of speech - Wikipedia

  Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law. Many countries have constitutional law that protects free speech. Terms like _free speech_, _freedom of speech,_ and _freedom of expression_ are used [...] Today, freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is recognised in international and regional human rights law. The right is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.( Based on John Milton's arguments, freedom of speech is understood as a multi-faceted right that includes [...] 1. the right to seek information and ideas; 2. the right to receive information and ideas; 3. the right to impart information and ideas International, regional and national standards also recognise that freedom of speech, as the freedom of expression, includes any medium, whether orally, in writing, in print, through the internet or art forms. This means that the protection of freedom of speech as a right includes the content and the means of expression.(

• What Does Free Speech Mean? - United States Courts

  Freedom of speech includes the right: ------------------------------------- Not to speak (specifically, the right not to salute the flag). _West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette_, 319 U.S. 624 (1943). Of students to wear black armbands to school to protest a war (“Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.”). _Tinker v. Des Moines_, 393 U.S. 503 (1969). To use certain offensive words and phrases to convey political messages. [...] _Cohen v. California_, 403 U.S. 15 (1971). To contribute money (under certain circumstances) to political campaigns. _Buckley v. Valeo_, 424 U.S. 1 (1976). To advertise commercial products and professional services (with some restrictions). _Virginia Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Consumer Council_, 425 U.S. 748 (1976);_Bates v. State Bar of Arizona_, 433 U.S. 350 (1977). To engage in symbolic speech, (e.g., burning the flag in protest). [...] Among other cherished values, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech. The U.S. Supreme Court often has struggled to determine what exactly constitutes protected speech. The following are examples of speech, both direct (words) and symbolic (actions), that the Court has decided are either entitled to First Amendment protections, or not. The First Amendment states, in relevant part, that: “Congress shall make no law...abridging freedom of speech.”

• Restoring Freedom Of Speech And Ending Federal Censorship

  Section 1. Purpose.The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, an amendment essential to the success of our Republic, enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference. Over the last 4 years, the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or [...] Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to: (a) secure the right of the American people to engage in constitutionally protected speech; (b) ensure that no Federal Government officer, employee, or agent engages in or facilitates any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen; [...] (c) ensure that no taxpayer resources are used to engage in or facilitate any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen; and (d) identify and take appropriate action to correct past misconduct by the Federal Government related to censorship of protected speech.

• What is freedom of speech? - Amnesty International UK

  Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. Are freedom of speech and freedom of expression the same thing? In the UK, freedom of speech is legally one part of the wider concept of freedom of expression. ## Does freedom of speech have limits? ## ...and when it can't ANTI-PROTEST LAWS IN THE UK [...] All popular browsers allow zooming in and out by pressing the Ctrl (Cmd in OS X) and + or - keys. Or alternatively hold down the Ctrl key and scroll up or down with the mouse. #### Line height #### Contrast # What is freedom of speech? Freedom ## Is freedom of speech a human right? In the UK, Article 10 of the 1998 Human Rights Act protects our right to freedom of expression: [...] #### Media and journalists #### Whistleblowers ## Rights and responsibilities ## Learn more FREE COURSE ### Share ### Tags ### Related #### While you’re here… Your freedom and your rights are under threat - right here in the UK and across the world. Governments worldwide are imposing oppressive laws and cracking down on our freedoms, but together, we can fight back.

• Freedom of Speech: An Overview | Congress.gov

  Image 3: Library of Congress Image 4: Copyright.gov Back to top Loading... [...] Select) (95th-119th) - [x] Judiciary (93rd-119th) - [x] Judiciary (93rd-119th) - [x] Natural Resources (110th-119th) - [x] Natural Resources (110th-119th) - [x] Oversight and Government Reform (All Names) - [x] Oversight and Government Reform (119th) - [x] Oversight and Accountability (118th) - [x] Oversight and Reform (116th-117th) - [x] Oversight and Government Reform (110th-115th) - [x] Rules (93rd-119th) - [x] Rules (93rd-119th) - [x] Science, Space, and Technology (112th-119th) - [x] [...] Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (106th-119th) - [x] Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (106th-119th) - [x] Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (109th-119th) - [x] Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (109th-119th) - [x] Indian Affairs (103rd-119th) - [x] Indian Affairs (103rd-119th) - [x] Intelligence (Select) (94th-119th) - [x] Intelligence (Select) (94th-119th) - [x] Judiciary (93rd-119th) - [x] Judiciary (93rd-119th) - [x] Rules and Administration (93rd-119th) - [x]

• Instance Of

  Q482994