Censorship and the Violate of Freedom of Speech

Censorship is the act of limiting people’s freedom of speech, whether it is restricting the right to speak certain words, associate with others, print, or present messages through means such as the internet and mass media. When censorship occurs, many people express their dissatisfaction at what they perceive to be an infringement of the right to free speech as outlined by the First Amendment. The law prohibits regulations that would violate people’s right to free speech (Hooker, 2018). While censorship continues to create controversial and intense debates, it is not always a violation of the freedom of speech, especially in exceptional cases, ranging from breach of peace to obscenity.

There are limitations on freedom of speech, and these justify censorship. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the U.S.A might decide to restrict some material if deemed to contain graphic sexual content (CRS, 2019). There is a need to adhere to guidelines to ensure content consumer meets the appropriate standards. Another illustration is when the freedom of speech leads to disruption of peace or endangers members of society. For instance, censorship does not equate to a violation of freedom of speech if the restricted content would contribute to crimes, for example, terrorism and child trafficking. Some guidelines that help people correctly apply their freedom of speech include a requirement to put age labels in content offered through mass media. 

The information age illustrates how censorship safeguards society as a whole and does not violate their right to free speech. Social media offers an opportunity for people to connect from different parts of the globe, and studies continue to discover many of its dimensions. There are concerns over issues, such as misinformation and the boundaries that social media platforms can never cross regarding freedom of speech. Yet, anti-censorship advocates might argue against things, such as arbitrary censorship (Segado-Boj & Diaz-Campo, 2020). The debate on the violation of freedom of speech when censorship occurs will persist. If censorship safeguards society from harm and only happens in exceptional cases, it does not strictly mean it violates freedom of speech.

References

Congressional Research Service (CRS). (2019). Free speech and the regulation of social media content. Retrieved from, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45650.pdf

Hooker, M., P. (2019). Censorship, free speech & Facebook: applying the first amendment to social media platforms via the public function exception. Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts; 15(1): 3

Segado-Boj, F., & Diaz-Campo, J. (2020). Social media and its intersections with free

speech, freedom of information, and privacy. An analysis. ICONO 14; 18(1): pp. 233 – 255, Retrieved from https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5525/552562132011/html/

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