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essays about freedom of speech

Freedom of Speech Essay

essays about freedom of speech

Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of speech and the Constitution We are all fortunate enough to have the freedom of speech, it is given to us as americans being ruled under the american constitution. We find the right to speak our minds in the first amendment of the constitution. Freedom of speech is taken a couple of ways, some of these are positive some may not have the same positive spin. Some people think we can say anything we like, no matter how controversial it maybe, without fear of punishment. Some think that the freedom of speech only protects speech, where some believe it protects art, and writing and any type of expression. Freedom of expression tend to play a huge role for the press and media as it allows different point of views as far as political…

Freedom Of Speech In The US

Today, the people of America enjoys their right on freedom of speech that is taken for granted by the first amendment of its American Constitution established by the Founding Father Statements. Therefore, freedom of speech is the cornerstone which all of other rights were initially disembogued. In contrast it can only be a dream of those whose hands are tightened, and mouths closed in other parts of world, thus thanks to those who have initially drafted the ultimate components and to the notable…

The United States. Our country, our home,the land of the free, and the home of the brave. To many people the United States is a sanctuary for them. We have the right to say what we want, when we want, and about whatever we want. People who live in our country depend on freedom of speech. Our country is on of a few that has the individual right of freedom of speech. Through freedom of speech Martin Luther King Jr. was able to execute his individual rights to speak against what he thought was…

Freedom Of Free Speech

Does national security override free speech? In the case of Snowden, Manning and Assange, they each leaked classified documents to the public under the name of free speech. Is this actually classified as free speech? According to J.S Mills, if it doesn’t cause physical harm to a populace, then it is classified as ‘free speech’ and so the leakage of government documents is allowed in accordance to Mills’ theory on free speech. Mills does not include psychological harm to anyone in his definition…

Freedom Of Speech In Vietnam

Freedom of speech is quite possibly one of the most important tools we Americans are provided, but with great power comes great responsibility. For example, in the sixties, around the time of America’s controversial involvement vietnam war, thousands of soldiers were drafted to the army, both black and white. Now if you’ll recall this was also the time of extreme opposition and protest for black and “colored” rights. African Americans were angry with the government at the time and the way they…

Freedom Of Speech In Schools

Living in the United States we enjoy many independences and freedoms. Although most of these freedoms seem normal and like they have always been there, almost all have been earned through determination and having to give up something. Freedom of speech is perhaps the most valued and contentious right out of all of the rights we have earned. Our ancestors worked hard to make sure that we could have the freedom that they were not given. On the First Amendments one of the rights listed is freedom…

Freedom Of Speech In America

“I’m Offended,” this phrase is one of the most common things we hear in today’s society. People in America today have become oversensitive. There are so many things these days that set people off and cause them go on a rampage for the smallest actions or for someone not agreeing with them. People have come to the realization that if you disagree with them that they are all of a sudden a bad person and people feel the need to have control of their words to make people be politically correct.…

The Freedom Of Speech: The Paradox Of Free Speech

The freedom of speech, granted within the first amendment to the constitution, allows the sharing of people’s views and opinions without fear of censorship. This right has been essential for the development of ideas and the success of democracy. It has been discussed; however, that this right is paradoxical in nature making it much more complicated than it seems to be. The paradox of free speech, as some argue, stems within the tolerance it demands the intolerant and has caused much debate as to…

The freedom of speech, not only is a want, but a need in this world. The freedom of speech affects almost everything in a person's daily life, every day of the week. This freedom of speech is also associated with the other first amendment freedoms. People always have something to say about an event, a debate, or anything that catches everyone's attention. Freedom of speech is a need because of the effect, of not having the freedom of speech, on other countries. The reason why this right is a…

Free Speech: The Importance Of The Freedom Of Speech

the Constitution was written to ensure that these rights were noted and well established for the people, by the people. The First Amendment to the US Constitution states in part: “Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (US Consitution, Am. 1) Freedom of Speech is one of the most rapidly developing aspects of the doctrine that our nation was built…

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essays about freedom of speech

Argumentative Essays on Freedom of Speech

Rights to freedom of speech and expression.

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The Role of The Freedom of Speech

The abuse of the freedom of speech and freedom of press by the media in the united states, the meaning of the freedom of speech, protection of the freedom of speech and the freedom of press in usa, the significance of putting limitation and prohibition to the expression of personal opinion, controversial points of free speech, a study of the true meaning of free speech in today's society, the misconception of hate speech and its connection with the freedom of speech, the link between freedom of speech and hate speech, the issue of free speech and hate speech on campus, freedom of speech and social media, the violation of freedom of speech in north korea, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of speech and censorship in social media, freedom of speech at college campuses, freedom of speech can cause harm onto others, my case for freedom of speech, the significance of the expression of personal opinion and governance, the results of restrictions of speech freedom and expression at college campuses, pros and cons of internet censorship, an examination of the first amendment: the freedom of speech, freedom of speech: challenges with defining and regulation, the main aspects of the right to free speech, a research on the censorship of popular music, the expression of personal opinion in universities as a solution to contentious issues, the issues of internet censorship in australia, discussion of whether censorship is oppressive, big companies versus freedom of speech, rhetorical analysis of identity speech by andrew solomon, feeling stressed about your essay.

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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 by the government.

1. The right to seek information and ideas; 2. The right to receive information and ideas; 3. The right to impart information and ideas.

It is thought that the ancient Athenian democratic principle of free speech may have emerged in the late 6th or early 5th century BC. 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.

Protection of speech was first introduced when the Magna Carta was signed in 1215. Greek philosopher Socrates, in 399 BC, was persecuted for an early argument promoting free speech. 70% of Americans agreed that people should have the right to free speech, even if their words are highly offensive. Thanks to Tinker v. Des Moines in 1969, students retain their right to free speech during school hours.

1. Sullivan, K. M. (2010). Two concepts of freedom of speech. Harvard Law Review, 124(1), 143-177. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/20788316) 2. Van Mill, D. (2002). Freedom of speech. (https://plato.stanford.edu/ENTRIES/freedom-speech/) 3. Bogen, D. (1983). The origins of freedom of speech and press. Md. L. Rev., 42, 429. (https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/mllr42&div=20&id=&page=) 4. Yong, C. (2011). Does freedom of speech include hate speech?. Res Publica, 17, 385-403. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11158-011-9158-y) 5. McHugh, M. R. (2004). Historiography and freedom of speech: the case of Cremutius Cordus. In Free Speech in Classical Antiquity (pp. 391-408). Brill. (https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789047405689/B9789047405689-s018.xml) 6. Milo, D. (2008). Defamation and freedom of speech. (https://academic.oup.com/book/2591) 7. Helwig, C. C. (1998). Children's conceptions of fair government and freedom of speech. Child Development, 69(2), 518-531. (https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1998.tb06205.x) 8. Cheung, A. S. (2011). Exercising freedom of speech behind the great firewall: A study of judges’ and lawyers’ blogs in China. Harvard International Law Journal Online. (https://harvardilj.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2011/04/HILJ-Online_52_Cheung1.pdf) 9. Nieuwenhuis, A. (2000). Freedom of speech: USA vs Germany and Europe. Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, 18(2), 195-214. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/092405190001800203)

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essays about freedom of speech

Freedom Of Speech Essays

Gender identity and freedom of speech.

The views of professor of psychology, Jordan Peterson at the University of Toronto on the issue of gender identity and his beliefs, position and refusal to use gender-neutral pronouns has sparked debates. The arguments by the professor have arisen a lot of objective and subjective intuition on his stand that his freedom of speech and need to become politically correct cannot determine by use of pronouns. Discussions are presented in different articles by Ellen Brait, a staff reporter for the […]

What is Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the right of ones’ right to express and communicate their ideas, opinion, and beliefs. As a result, nobody should fear being reprimanded, punished, or expurgated by society and perhaps the government at large. In most cases, it is done to attract mass attention from the community. It is entirely synonymous to seeking freedom of denied privileges such as an inappropriate distribution of public resources and side-lining of the minority among others. It is a universal right […]

News and Democracy in Different Media Systems

Many decades ago, Siebert, Peterson, and Schramm (1959) posed a question related to the concepts of the press and its role in society, “Why is the press as it is? Why does it apparently serve different purposes and appear in widely different forms in different countries?” The answers to these questions led the authors to present the Authoritarian, the Soviet communist, the Libertarian, and the Social Responsibility models, which explain what the press should be and do in different countries. […]

Defining Censorship

Censorship is the restriction of speech, communication or other information. Censorship affects our society in different ways. Censorship is usually determined by the government or a private foundation. It influences the music we tune in to, news articles, films, and the books we read. Censorship is a widely debated topic, and can be either harmful or protective to a society. It is possible to argue that censorship has no place in a nation that focuses on freedom of expression, because […]

Modern Day Censorship: Syria

How much do we value our freedom of speech as citizens of the United States of America? Would you risk your life to report news that might make an impact in the lives of many? Many countries around the world maintain very strict guidelines in what can be reported and broadcasted. In many countries this amount of strict censorship could even lead to you getting either tortured or killed. One modern day censored country would be the Middle Eastern country […]

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1st Amendment and Congress

David Thuita I Amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The beginning of the second amendment finds its root in Athens, Greece during the 400s B.C., where free men were allowed to freely speak. Athen theaters, writings, and educational institutions all […]

First Amendment Values

Americans value the First Amendment as much as a teenage girl values her cell phone. Life just wouldn’t be the same without it. Thanks to the authors of the Constitution America has established the fundamental laws, government, and basic rights for American citizens. The document was signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia. Later, Madison introduced 19 amendments, 12 of which were adopted. Ten of them were ratified and became the Bill of Rights on December 10, 1791. The First […]

Question of Womens Educational Rights

What if you were not allowed to have a voice and share what you think just because of your gender? How would that make you feel? Well, this is a common thing that happens in our country and across the world. That is why I am focusing on Women’s Rights as my Exhibition topic. I want this to stop. Our class Central Idea is, “Global opportunities may create conflict between people and other living things.” Our groups Central Idea had […]

Freedom of Speech in the United States

Freedom of speech has been protected in The United States by the First Amendment since 1791. For over 100 years, this right, though symbolically important, has sat dormant. However today, freedom of speech has been in the headlines due to its involvement in controversial topics surrounding the media, political correctness, and “hate speech”. Hateful beliefs and intolerance towards those with different characteristics exist throughout society and results in an environment of hate. Americans now have a hard choice to make […]

Hatred under the Freedom of Speech

There is a thin line between an open expression of plain hatred and the expression of opinion. It is safe to assume that every person at some point of his or her life, either witnessed or experienced a bias from bigots based on race, nationality, sex, or other characteristics. People interpret “hate speech” differently; some compare it to the crime; others see it as practicing the First Amendment. Both groups can bring a lot of arguments to support their point […]

From Hate Speech to Hate Crimes

Hate crime is on a rise ever since awareness regarding Freedom of speech have increased. Isn’t it ironic how the same platform that gives a voice to oppressors also gives a voice to predators? When we talk about Hate crime, we all accept that hate speech is one of the main reasons for it. Hiding under the umbrella of freedom of speech, there are hatemongers and racists that utilize the useful platform of freedom of speech to gain their personal […]

Countries that Ban Same-sex Intercourse is this a Violation of International Law?

Is against the law to murder a person based up on their sexual preference? Would you take away a Civil Liberty? This But is a question you should pounder as you read my paper. But we are going to look at the international aspect. There are many countries where same-sex intercourse and or marriage is against the law. Imagine this being your reality. Having to hide from your family and friend and pretend to be someone else. You wonder should […]

Hate Speech Debate and Discussion

In the wake of technological advancement immorality in college campus have increased. For instance, parents are sending their girls in all-girls boarding schools, and they are coming home emotionally traumatized and with low self-esteem because of sexual abuse by the older same sex. Indeed, sexual harassment and discrimination have increased in schools which are stimulating hatred and school dropouts following the progress of technology in the community. Although the immoralities are punishable and illegal in the country, they have continually […]

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Introduction From investigations from World War I to present day investigations, hate crimes have occurred in the United States throughout all of history. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a hate crime is a traditional offense, such as murder, arson, or even vandalism; with a biased element (“Hate Crimes”). Of the 7,175 incidents reported on the FBI website during the year 2017, the top bias motivation was race, ethnicity, and ancestry followed by the bias of religions (“2017 […]

First Amendment and Social Media

“The ratification of the U.S constitution in 1791 hinged on the adoption of The Bill of Rights consisting of first ten amendments. The first amendment of which protects basic freedoms including speech, religion, press and assemble however, have had its implication to be the subject of continuing interpretation and dispute over the years for media platforms. Today, the lack of use of the first amendment on social media in comparison to use in society is raising concerns for the detriments […]

Negative Side-Effects of Free Speech

Since the beginning of our country, one of our founding principles has been the right to express yourself through speech, media, or any other means of communication. For a long time those that founded our country were under the control of the British, and the lack of freedom to do and say what was on your mind was very constrained. With the American Revolution, we fought for the right to convey our beliefs without fear of another governing force taking […]

Internet Censorship Laws in Saudi Arabia

“The thought of not being able to express oneself through the internet without repercussions might seem implausible; however, it is an ongoing problem in countries like Saudi Arabia. Currently, Saudi Arabia holds a score of 73 out of 100 for its Internet Freedom Score, which sets it as “not free” (“Saudi Arabia Internet Score”). Citizens are prohibited from visiting and accessing many parts of the web due to governmental restrictions based on immoral and “radically” opinionated content. This limits their […]

Importance of Freedom of Speech

Freedom of Speech Taken from People Many people around the world are forced to live without a voice for themselves. These people live in constant fear of the consequences they may face if they do voice their opinions. This lack of a voice goes against the inalienable right that is known as freedom of speech, which is defined as “the legal right to express one’s opinion freely” (Merriam-Webster, 2020). These restrictions of free speech can be countered through the use […]

Freedom of Speech should not be Limited

Literature has always been tricky. At times, people find certain books to be offensive or inappropriate. People will even go to great lengths to challenge or ban books just because of differing opinions. Limiting free speech has been a constant and continuous argument throughout history. One side argues that certain pieces of writing should be banned or censored due to words, content and themes that are either viewed as inappropriate, controversial or contain language that is no longer acceptable. Violence, […]

Should Freedom of Speech be Limited

In this paper each author reflects their own moral opinion on hate speech shared with freedom of speech and the results from it containing negative content. There are several authors who discuss hate speech in considerations of freedom of speech. Despite strong objections I trust that society is obligated to protect its citizens and prevent any harm done in relation to hate speech under freedom of speech law. First, In “Freedom of Speech” David van Mill argues freedom of speech […]

What Freedom Means to me

There are millions of people around the world that live under conditions where the government withholds their human freedoms from them. Some people can not practice the religion they truly believe in, and others are scared for their lives on a daily basis. No matter how many restrictions citizens of different countries must abide by, nobody should be forced into silence. To “be free” means that everybody has the right to raise up their voice, and act for what they […]

Freedom of Speech on Social Media

Social media and freedom of speech have taken over the world. People read on the news every day about people being punished for what they post on social media. To what limit should people be punished for what they post? When people post online, everyone can see the material. It does not matter if the account is private. People should face consequences for their actions on social media if their post is offensive, containing work information, or includes a provocative […]

Freedom of Speech and Censorship

The government needs to also look at the First amendment that gives Americans the freedom of speech. Although freedom of speech gave the Americans an opportunity to express themselves, it came with some disadvantages. Some individuals used this freedom to propagate hatred especially racism. Individuals who had something against the blacks would use the freedom of expression clause to protect themselves before making hateful remarks. They would propagate hate between the African Americans and the whites. Some leaders were known […]

First Amendment Freedom of Speech

The 2017 Berkeley protests organized by different groups including By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) were an abject violation of the freedom of speech as outlined in the First Amendment of the American constitution. The protests successfully stopped a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a controversial Breitbart editor and a self-declared Trump supporter. The protests turned violent and led to the destruction of the property thus posing significant harm to the society. In defending the protests, Yvette Felarca, BAMN’s spokesperson argued that […]

On Freedom of Speech and Expression

Privacy is an essential right that every citizen of the United States is granted. Under the first amendment of the constitution rights such as freedom of press, speech, and privacy are protected. The first amendment separates the United States’ constitution from many other countries for a simple reason, the freedom of speech and expression. Freedom of speech and expression is the right to speak freely without fear of repercussion from the government simply because it doesn’t like the content of […]

Freedom of Speech Today

The citizens of the United States of America exercise their First Amendment right, freedom of speech in their day to day lives. Being able to voice their opinion and speak up for what they believe in is what gives our country its degree of autonomy. Having the freedom of speech is a blissful thing that people in other countries long for; such lack of censorship. Despite this freedom, it is not a free for all and has to be regulated […]

On Freedom of Speech in School

What is personal liberty? Liberty is being free to do whatever the individual may want to do without restrictions. This can include things such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion and the freedom to bear arms. Anyone living in the United States are actually guaranteed these rights, right from birth. We also live in a society where these rights are given, but are also restricted or limited to a certain extent. We live in a country where anything […]

Justice Freedom of Speech

With the popularity of the Internet, the network media has broken the limitation of the traditional media in the freedom of speech, and people can enjoy expressing opinions and spreading information. The infinity of the Internet brings many benefits to people, such as searching for information and watching videos. At the same time, the virtual nature of the network also brings hidden dangers for people, such as spreading false information, human flesh search, and so on. One of the reasons […]

Cultural Appropriation on Yale Campus through the Lens of John Stuart Mill’s Philosophy of Liberalism

The founding fathers of the United States fought for freedom and today we continue to maintain that freedom. We fiercely fight to protect, amend, and interpret the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Amendments. So when last fall Yale’s Intercultural Affairs Committee sent an email imploring students to consider the implications of their Halloween costumes and reevaluate their decisions to wear them Professor Erika Christakis responded with an email defending student’s rights to make their own choices. This story made national […]

Hate Speech should not be Tolerated Inside School Campus

College is a place of learning, a place where knowledge is challenged, and banks accounts are stretched. It is a place where many different people will all types of backgrounds meet for a common goal, higher education. Universities should ensure that campus are safe and stable environment for all students and facility. Limitation of hate speech on campus is necessary to prevent hate and violence. There are multiple incidents where such hate has been on the rise due to more […]

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Freedom of Speech Essay

essays about freedom of speech

Freedom Of Speech : The Freedom Of Speech

The First Amendment, one of the most controversial amendments in this day of age, is the freedom of speech. Many people believe that people should have the freedom of speech without any restrictions but others believe differently. In the movie “We are Legion” the First Amendment is viewed differently between the two groups, the Anonymous and the rest of the world. While the world believes that some information should be confidential and have restrictions on what should be said and how it can be

Freedom : Freedom Of Speech And Freedom Of Speech

determining how much freedom the citizens in a society has. Throughout history we have seen many different type of governments that include North Koreas’ dictatorship to the United States that has a government based on principles of democracy. In societies that have democratic governments such as the United States, England, France, and many other western European countries, the citizens have a high degree of freedom of speech. In addition, these people are allowed to have a high degree of freedom of thought

The Freedom Of Speech : Freedom Of Speech

immigrant, has an equal opportunity too. When someone tries to take this away, by this paper, they are our enemy. A right that everyone knows is freedom of speech. As an American, I live in a country that allows for me to be whatever I want or say whatever I want, as long as it does not directly hurt an individual or group. Due to current events, freedom of speech is limited for a group of individuals. Oddly enough it's not the group one would think; it is not the Neo-Nazi’s who killed someone in Charlottesville

Freedom Of Speech And Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of speech : freedom of speech.

In our Constitution it states that, “It guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely.  It also guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government.” Our very foundations encourage what Kaepernick is doing, and taking away his right to speak is seems to be unfair and not justified. But "Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence" said Daniel Schick in the article,

Freedom Of Speech : The Importance Of The Freedom Of Speech

provided to them by first amendment or their constitution, the freedom of speech every person in the world is born with distance voice of their won. The fundamental question is whether or not a person is actually granted freedom to use their voice in all of its entirety, and whether or not such a thing actually exists. French law said human many not agree with what he or she said, but they have will defend to death to their right to say it. Speech is fundamental to the existence of mankind and for countries

Speech : Freedom Of Speech

Even though freedom of speech can be tricky, understanding what can be said under the first amendment is key. This will give you more confidence when you 're talking about current events, it 'll inhibit social interaction, but the biggest reason of all is understanding your rights will keep you out of jail. Even the supreme court struggles to determine what exactly constitutes protected speech. When trying to see if your covered by the first amendment, certain questions have to be displayed. Are

Speech On Freedom Of Speech

Speech is something that has existed since the beginning of time. However, the idea that speech is a given right is a relatively new idea and is not something all hierarchies stress, especially in impoverished countries. There have been historic events such as the Emancipation Proclamation in which Abraham Lincoln not only gave freedom to slaves but the same rights only few enjoyed, including the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is more than just a right, it a right to challenge others opinions

Freedom of speech is authorized to every person; rich or poor, young or old, every person holds different opinion and it’s their right to express it. The definition of Freedom of speech is, every person has the right to express his/her opinion without the fear of government or society telling them it is wrong to express. Being individuals, we are all different. We all possess different ideas, tastes and thinking. Freedom of speech is like freedom of thoughts. If we are comfortable with each other’s

Public Colleges often seem to be a freedom of speech battle ground, with many students wanting their ideas to be heard and respected. Famous 19th century poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes, agrees by saying “The very aim and end of our institutions is just this: that we may think what we like and say what we think”. In recent years’ freedom of speech and press has grown exponentially because of social media. It is extremely important to handle that amount of freedom responsibly because it can turn violent

public icons talk of banning speech that they consider as “offensive language”, even going as far as to berate anybody who has used the word in the past. This seems out of the ordinary, as the United States’ First Amendment was created to oppose censoring language deemed as offensive, in favor of freedom of expression. So why are we moving towards the opposite? Hate speech, or any other “offensive language”, should remain under Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech helps the world progress. This

many chants that echoed through the EMU ballroom as a group of student activist, called the UO Student Collective, stormed the stage to disrupt President Schill’s speech. This act of protest came from our rights as citizens to use our Freedom of Speech. As a result of the incident, President Schill was not able to personally address his speech about what he was intending to do with the $50 million dollar donation, which none of which was going to any of the outlets the students were bringing up in the

Freedom Of Speech: What Is Freedom Of Speech?

What Is Freedom of Speech? What is Freedom of Speech? The concept of the freedom of speech began in the 1800s. In the 1800s, not everyone had Freedom Of Speech. In North America, African-Americans were slaves and were not allowed to participate in their country at first, and their rights in terms of freedom of speech were given to them later. Freedom of speech has not been consistently available to all citizens: it is a right that. For an act to be deemed valid as Freedom of Speech, it must positively

Freedom Of Speech : The Importance Of Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of Speech Being citizens of the united states of America, American people given certain rights and privileges. One of these importance privileges is provided to them by first amendment or their constitution, the freedom of speech every person in the world is born with distance voice of their won. The fundamental question is whether or not a person is actually granted freedom to use their voice in all of its entirety, and whether or not such a thing actually exists. French law said

Freedom of speech is the right that grants everyone and anyone to speak their opinions and ideas aloud without fear of censorship. As someone who believes that every opinion should be considered, I believe that sharing viewpoints allow students in college and everywhere else to freely express themselves and allows people to be who they are. Just like teachers from high schools and professors from colleges preach, students should be allowed to speak their minds without being scared of facing major

Freedom Of Speech : The Power Of Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of speech would be easy if words did not have power. Guaranteeing people, the right to say and print whatever they wanted would be easy if we could believe that words had no real effect. But unfortunately, Americans tend to believe that words do have power and that they can anger and inspire, cause people to rise up and act out in harmful ways. Americans celebrate speakers like James Otis, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr., whose words inspired people to fight for independence

The Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is one thing, but when it is damaging to society something can and should be done. Freedom of speech is solidly enshrined in the first amendment of the constitution of the USA and this is hand in hand spelt out with the freedom of press since the two more often than not go together in the contemporary society (Find Law, 2012). It is paramount that these provisions of expression and means of expression (the press) are guarded with sanctity and jealousy they deserve. This is on

Speech On Speech And The Freedom Of Speech

unrestricted full-fledged communication. It is guaranteed through the “freedom of speech and expression”, the most cherished fundamental right, as envisaged under various international covenants and most of the constitutions including the Indian Constitution. The right to freedom of expression has a wide ambit which includes the freedom to hold opinions, freedom to impart information, the freedom to receive information and even the freedom to dissent against the democratically elected governments of the

Freedom Of Speech

There are people in the United States that today don't understand what freedom speech actually means and what limitations it has. They believe that Freedom of Speech is saying whatever you want, whenever you want. But if they took the time to actually read the First Amendment they would realize that there is a time and a place where Freedom of Speech should and should not be used. For instance if you get called into jury duty or you are a civilian interested in justice process, and you are sitting

Freedom of speech is a right protected by the First Amendment. According to the administrative office of the United States Courts (n.d.), the First Amendment states that, “Congress shall make no law... abridging freedom of speech.” Freedom of speech is arguably one of the most cherished American values in the First Amendment. As defined by an online unabridged Dictionary (n.d.), The rights covered by freedom of speech include the right to express opinions publicly without governmental interference

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essays about freedom of speech

Argumentative Essay On Freedom Of Speech

Pros and cons of the first amendment.

There are some interesting facts on freedom of speech such as in 1948 the UN had recognized free speech as a right to human. This is stated in the International Declaration of Human Rights. Also, seventy percent of Americans think people should speak freely, even if their words

The Slippery Slope

Freedom of speech is one of the corner stones of American society and is defended vigorously. One huge reason of this defense is the argument where if one small part of freedom of speech is violated or diminished, eventually that will be enough grounds to essentially ban freedom of speech outright. The Slippery Slope. This argument is, at its core, a broad assumption and can be refuted. For one, it is possible for a government to reduce the freedom of speech and go no further, usually due to reasons where what you say could threaten national security and the public welfare in general. Prime example would be that you cannot say “bomb” on a plane. This has not progressed to a new law where we are not allowed to say anything on an airplane.

First Amendment Bill Of Rights

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right of “freedom of speech” Bill of Rights, n.d., p. 1). It was designed to guarantee a free exchange of ideas, even if the ideas are unpopular. One of the most controversial free speech issues involves hate speech. Hate speech is a public expression of discrimination against a vulnerable group, based on “race, ethnicity, religion,” and sexual orientation (Karman, 2016, p. 3940). Under the First Amendment there is no exception to hate speech; although, hateful ideas are protected just as other ideas. However, the right to free speech is not absolute. The United State Supreme Court has ruled that the government can ban some speeches that contain “fighting words,” and words that

Gulliver's Travels Rhetorical Analysis

Not every citizen has always enjoyed the right of freedom of speech. In Gulliver’s Travels, a highly debated book, the author Jonathan Swift, was accused of using too much satire to speak out against the English government and society. Satire is “the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.” (Dictionary.reference.com). Swift insulted the British government, society, and other important matters within England. Swift used satire to expose the shortcomings within England. He did it this way so he wouldn’t be put in jail. Although some may argue Swift used too much satire, in this case, he was able to point out wrongdoings of the English.

Freedom Of Speech In College Essay

The idea of free speech on college campuses and the complications of it stem from those on campuses expressing views that don’t align with popular views. Implications for students who use the idea of free speech as a method for hateful actions and comments should be reprimanded, but the question remains as to whether schools should enforce tougher limitations. The freedom of speech on college campus expands to the freedoms of religion, assembly, press, and protest as well. Freedom of expression allows students to show their own political, social, and cultural views. Removing freedoms of speech and expression have consequences deeper than surface issues. Free speech and hate speech can be classified as different topics and when arguing for one, we can also criticize the other. Free expression and free speech on campuses are crucial for sparking important conversations about equality and social justice, and the suspension of free speech and expression may have dire consequences on college campuses.

Freedom Of Speech: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Freedom of speech is an important Constitutional Issue that gives us the individual right to express the way we feel. Having freedom of speech in public, in newspapers, books, or media is a part that makes us the land of the free. Without freedom of speech we couldn’t say what we think without getting in trouble

Dbq Research Paper

Free press- Free speech and press was outlined in the 1st amendment of the constitution. The founders saw free speech as a means of gaining truth, scientific advancement, and cultural development. Up until 1798 there were no bans against free speech other than defaming another person, which was not protected under the constitution. The evolution of free speech is indeed a good thing as it has led to spread of truth, scientific progress, and cultural development. The idea of free speech came from the people and founding fathers and was written in the 1st amendment by James

Progressive Ideas Have Killed Free Speech Analysis

One of the major principles of the United States government has always been the freedom of speech given to its citizens, but what really comes with this freedom? Does this founding principle make it socially acceptable to create uncomfortable environments and use words to injure others? I think this right has limitations anywhere you go. Countries like Israel are making the word Nazi outlawed. And this isn’t because they’re trying to limit and control freedom of speech but rather because of its symbolic meaning in history. (Thane Rosenbaum page 165) And I believe this limit is crucial especially in places of diversity and higher learning such as college campuses. There is a difference between “trying to persuade and trying to injure.” (Rosenbaum page 166) So while many people believe that freedom of speech on a

Pros And Cons Of Freedom Of Speech

Starting with pro, I believe that freedom of speech allows people to enable the right to express about personal thoughts, such as expressing your personal opinion on a political debate, or expressing your opinion in a public or campus riot. According to Visionlaunch.com, they state that “this concept allows a person to have the freedom of expressing their public opinion and their thoughts, without the worry of getting fines or jail time even if people don’t agree with you”. How would this impact or affect the people around the world? Well, this would not impact anybody because expressing your opinion on a

Pros And Cons Of Censorship In Society

Censorship is all about deciding on what people can see with in the media that revolves around the world. Censorship puts a wall around harmful, sensitive or inconvenient speech or communication. All around the world censorship has taken place to limit certain material to the public that leaders didn’t want them seeing or listening to. According to Mob Notes, it states, “Two-thirds of the world 's internet users live under regimes of government censorship” (Mob Notes). Restrictions to media around the world could bring positive and negative outcomes to society. A positive aspect would be the knowledge and communication given to society. But some negative aspects can include children being exposed to traumatizing material and people engaging

Arguments Against Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of speech is the right to express or communicate an individual’s ideas, views and opinions without any obstructions or fear of punishment. It is not limited to speech alone, and includes written and other forms of communication such as freedom of press which gives one the right to question, criticize and voice their opinions. Freedom of speech (or expression) is a fundamental human right which is also recognized by the constitution of India.

Overcriminalizing Speech: Annotated Bibliography

Buchhandler-Raphael, Michal. "Overcriminalizing Speech." Cardozo Law Review 36.5 (2015): 1667-1737. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.

My Ideal Government Essay

What is a perfect government? Is it an ideal place for any person? A utopia? Throughout the history of the world, there have been several different forms of government, ranging from monarchies, dictatorships, republics, and even anarchy. Respectively each of these types governments have their best and worst decisions. But, imagine your government falling apart. You then realize that the people and country are affected.

Importance Of Freedom Of Expression In Malaysia

As human beings, we are all born with an entitlement of freedom of speech or synonymously known as freedom of expression as it is a basic human right. It is stated in the Federal Constitution and it is important for us human beings to protect our rights to freedom of speech and expression as it is the backbone for a democratic society. Having the right to express oneself freely without any restrictions is an essential part of what it means to be a free human being. Article 10 in the Federal Constitution states that; (a) every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression; (b) all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms; (c) all citizens have the right to form associations.

Advantages Of Freedom Of Speech

In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), freedom of speech falls under the Article 19 which is the freedom of opinion and expression. It protects one’s freedom ‘to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers’ (The United Nations, 1948). Article 19(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) adds that the freedom of expression could be ‘either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice’.

More about Argumentative Essay On Freedom Of Speech

1000-Word Philosophy

1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

Philosophy, One Thousand Words at a Time

Free Speech

Author: Mark Satta Category:  Social and Political Philosophy , Philosophy of Law , Ethics Word Count: 989

Want to criticize your government? Burn a flag? Wear a t-shirt that says f**k the draft?

Thanks to freedom of speech , in many places you can. [1]

But what exactly is freedom of speech? And what does it permit us to say? This essay will review some influential answers to these questions.

Image of a microphone.

1. Protection from Government, Not Private Actors

Freedom of speech, sometimes called freedom of expression , is a legal right to express many beliefs and ideas without government interference or punishment. This freedom does not typically prevent private entities (e.g., ordinary citizens or private organizations) from limiting speech. [2]

If freedom of speech prevented private entities from limiting speech, freedom of speech could not be applied consistently because the freedom of speech includes the ability not to speak. [3] So, e.g., if a newspaper was forced to publish every piece of writing submitted to it, then that newspaper would lose some ability to not speak. Freedom of speech also includes the right not to listen to or receive other people’s messages. [4]  

The fact that freedom of speech only prevents government interference doesn’t entail that freedom of speech is irrelevant to action by private entities. Some argue that certain private entities ought to voluntarily conform to legal standards for speech protection: e.g., that private universities should conform to the free speech standards legally required by public universities. [5]  Freedom of speech is also sometimes understood more broadly as a social value.

2. Limits on Free Speech

Freedom of speech is not an unlimited right. All governments impose some limits on what kinds of speech they will protect. This is because freedom of speech, like all rights, must be balanced against other rights and values.

Common types of speech not protected by freedom of speech include threats of violence, false advertising, and defamation (i.e., false statements that unjustly harm someone’s reputation). [6]

Many democratic nations do not protect hate speech (i.e., speech intended to threaten, degrade, or incite hatred against a group or group member based on group prejudice). But some other nations, including the United States, treat hate speech as protected speech. Whether hate speech should receive free speech protection has been much debated in recent years. [7]

  But even protected speech can be limited to an extent by the government: e.g., freedom of speech does not permit just anyone to enter a military base or a class at a public university and start talking. This is true because, even though military bases and public universities are government-run, these spaces seek to achieve other important goals that justify limiting free speech.

Freedom of speech gives you much greater latitude in a public park, a public sidewalk, or in your own home. But even in public places like parks and sidewalks, freedom of speech allows for content-neutral restrictions on speech: e.g., a town can have a noise ordinance banning playing loud music in parks near residential neighborhoods after midnight.

But it is important that these restrictions be content- and viewpoint-neutral . [8] Thus, a town could not pass an ordinance limiting speech only about certain topics or from certain perspectives in the park. Such a rule would discriminate based on the content or viewpoint of the speech. An important part of freedom of speech is that the government cannot restrict speech just because it doesn’t like the topics or agree with the speaker. Freedom of speech also doesn’t allow for the suppression of ideas simply because those ideas are unpopular.

3. Expressive Conduct

Freedom of speech protects more than just spoken and written expression. It also protects many other activities through which ideas can be expressed: [9] e.g., in the United States, abstract art, non-lyrical music, and marching in a parade are all activities protected under the freedom of speech. [10]

There are controversies concerning which activities ought to be considered expressive conduct: e.g., there is substantial disagreement about whether political spending by corporations ought to be protected as free speech. [11] There are also disagreements about if and when the creation of products like wedding cakes and photographs ought to be considered protected speech. [12]

4. Prior Restraint versus Subsequent Punishment

Freedom of speech protects people against two different types of government interference: prior restraint and subsequent punishment .

A prior restraint prevents you from speaking: it restrains your speech prior to it being made. At one point, many legal scholars thought that freedom of speech meant only freedom from prior restraint. [13] That is no longer true.

Today, most everyone believes that freedom of speech protects people not only from prior restraint, but also from subsequent punishment (i.e., from being legally sanctioned for protected speech). This makes freedom of speech more robust because it protects people not only from having their protected speech restrained, but also from having their protected speech punished by the government.

5. Why is Free Speech Important?

Philosophers and legal scholars have given many different explanations for why free speech is important. Many scholars think there are multiple good reasons why we protect free speech. [14]

Three common rationales for free speech protections are that they help us (1) discover truth, (2) respect human autonomy, and (3) preserve democracy by allowing criticism of government.

Influential advocates of the idea that free speech helps us discover truth include writer John Milton, philosopher John Stuart Mill, and U.S. Supreme Court Justices Oliver Wendell Holmes and Louis Brandeis. [15]

One common form of the truth discovery argument is that the best way to overcome false speech is with more speech. [16] Given what we know about how viral misinformation works, such a claim can appear implausible. [17] But even if this version of the truth discovery argument is mistaken, there may be weaker forms of a truth-preservation principle that provide us with good reason to safeguard free speech: e.g., someone might argue that the fallibility of political leaders requires them to avoid suppressing others’ ideas.

6. Conclusion

Freedom of speech is valuable. Protecting it first requires understanding it.

[1] See, e.g., Brandenburg v. Ohio , Texas v. Johnson , and Cohen v. California .

[2] See, e.g., U.S. Const. Amend I .

[3] Gaebler 1982 .

[4] Corbin 2009 .

[5] Chemerinsky and Gillman 2017 .

[6] Maras 2015 , Redish and Voils 2017 , and Post 1986 .

[7] See, e.g., Waldron 2012 and Strossen 2018 .

[8] Jacobs 2003 .

[9] Tushnet, Chen, and Blocher 2017 .

[10] See, e.g., Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston .

[11] Hasen 2011 .

[12] Liptak 2017 .

[13] Rabban 1981 , Healy 2013 .

[14] Greenawalt 1989 .

[15] Milton 1644 (reprinted 1918) , Mill 1859 , Abrams v. United States (Holmes, J. dissenting ), Whitney v. California (Brandeis, J. concurring) .

[16] See, e.g., Milton 1644 (reprinted 1918) , Whitney v. California (Brandeis, J. concurring) .

[17] Wu 2018 .

Abrams v. the United States , 250 U.S. 616 (1919).

Brandenburg v. Ohio , 395 U.S. 444 (1969).

Cohen v. California , 403 U.S. 15 (1971).

Hurley v. Irish American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston , 515 U.S. 557 (1995).

Texas v. Johnson , 491 U.S. 397 (1989).

Whitney v. California , 274 U.S. 357 (1927).

Corbin, Caroline Mala. 2009. “The First Amendment right against compelled listening.” Boston University Law Review , 89 (3): 939-1016.

Chemerinsky, Erwin and Howard Gillman. 2017. Free Speech on Campus . Yale University Press.

Gaebler, David. 1982. “First Amendment Protection Against Government Compelled Expression and Association.” Boston College Law Review , 23 (4): 995-1023.

Greenawalt, Kent. 1989. “Free Speech Justifications.” Columbia Law Review 89 (1): 119-155.

Hasen, Richard L. 2011. “Citizens United and the Illusion of Coherence.” Michigan Law Review , 109 (4): 581-623.

Healy, Thomas. 2013. The Great Dissent: How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed His Mind—and Changed the History of Free Speech in America . Metropolitan Books.

Jacobs, Leslie Gielow. 2003. “Clarifying the Content-Based/Content Neutral and Content/Viewpoint Determinations.” McGeorge Law Review , 34 (3): 595-635 .

Liptak, Adam. 2017. “Where to Draw Line on Free Speech? Wedding Cake Case Vexes Lawyers.” New York Times .

Maras, Marie-Helen. 2015. “Unprotected Speech Communicated via Social Media: What Amounts to a True Threat?” Journal of Internet Law , 19 (3): 3-9.

Mill, John Stuart. 1859. On Liberty . John W. Parker & Son.

Milton, John. 1918. Areopagitica . Cambridge University Press.

Post, Robert C. 1986. “The Social Foundations of Defamation Law: Reputation and the Constitution” California Law Review , 74: 691-742.

Rabban, David M. 1981. “The First Amendment in Its Forgotten Years.” Yale Law Journal , 90 (3): 514-595.

Redish, Martin H. and Kyle Voils. 2017. “False Commercial Speech and the First Amendment: Understanding the Implications of the Equivalency Principle.” William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal , 25: 765-799.

Strossen, Nadine. 2018. Hate: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship . Oxford University Press.

Tushnet, Mark V., Alan K. Chen, and Joseph Blocher. 2017. Free Speech Beyond Words: The Surprising Reach of the First Amendment . New York University Press.

Waldron, Jeremy. 2012. The Harm in Hate Speech . Harvard University Press.

Wu, Tim. 2018. “Is the First Amendment Obsolete?” Michigan Law Review , 117 (3): 547-581.

For Further Reading

“Freedom of Expression – Speech and Press.” Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.

van Mill, David, “Freedom of Speech”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)  

Related Essays

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Download this essay in PDF. 

About the Author

Mark Satta is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He received his PhD in Philosophy from Purdue University and his JD from Harvard Law School. Some of his philosophical research interests include philosophy of law, epistemology, bioethics, and philosophy of language. MarkSatta.com

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essays about freedom of speech

Free Freedom of Speech Essays and Papers

freedom of speech

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117 Freedom of Speech Topics & Essay Examples

Looking for exciting freedom of speech topics to write about? This issue is definitely worth studying!

🔝 Top 10 Freedom of Speech Essay Topics

⁉️ freedom of speech essay: how to write, 🏆 best freedom of speech essay examples & topic ideas, 🔍 simple & easy freedom of speech essay titles, 💡 most interesting freedom of speech topics to write about, ❓ research questions about freedom of speech, 💯 free freedom of speech essay topic generator.

In your freedom of speech essay, you might want to focus on the historical perspective, elaborate on the negative effects of censorship, or even share your personal experience. Whether you will choose to write an argumentative, persuasive, or narrative essay, our article will help! We’ve gathered a list of excellent topics, ideas, and questions, together with A+ freedom of speech essay examples.

Freedom of speech is an important topic because every person has a fundamental right to express their opinions freely. Our ability to express our thoughts allows society to change and develop. Essays on freedom of speech can raise awareness of the significance of this issue. That is why it is vital to create powerful and well-developed papers on this cause. You can discuss various topics in your freedom of speech essay. You can search for them online or consult your professor. Here are our suggestions on freedom of speech essay analysis questions:

Once you have selected one of the titles for your essay, it is time to start working on the paper. Here are some do’s of writing the essay:

Remember that you should avoid certain things while writing your essay. Here are some important don’ts to consider:

Don’t hesitate to explore our free samples that can help you to write an outstanding essay!

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Essay on Freedom of Speech in English Free PDF download

essays about freedom of speech

Download Important English Essay on the Topic - Freedom of Speech Free PDF from Vedantu

One of the fundamental rights of the citizens of India is ‘Freedom of Speech’. This is allowed to the citizens by a lot of countries to empower the citizens to share their own thoughts and views. This freedom of speech essay is for students of class 5 and above. The language used in this essay is plain and simple for a better understanding of the students. This freedom of speech essay example will help the students write a paragraph on freedom of speech in their own words easily.

Long Essay on Freedom of Speech

The phrase “Freedom of Speech” has been misinterpreted by some individuals who either do not actually understand the meaning of the phrase completely or have a totally different agenda in mind altogether. Every democratic country gives its citizens this freedom. The same is guaranteed by the Constitution of India too. Irrespective of your gender, religion, caste, or creed, you are guaranteed that freedom as an Indian. The values of democracy in a country are defined by this guaranteed fundamental freedom. The freedom to practice any religion, the freedom to express opinions and disagreeing viewpoints without hurting the sentiments or causing violence is what India is essentially made up of.

Indians stand out for their secularism and for spreading democratic values across the world. Thus, to save and celebrate democracy, enforcing freedom of speech in India becomes a necessity. Freedom of speech is not only about the fundamental rights, it’s also a fundamental duty to be done by every citizen rightfully so as to save the essence of democracy.

In developed democracies like the US, UK, Germany or France, we see a “freedom of speech” that is different from what we see in authoritarian countries like China, Malaysia or Syria and failed democratic countries like Pakistan or Rwanda. These governance systems failed because they lacked freedom of speech. Freedom of press gives us a yardstick to gauge the freedom of speech in a country. A healthy, liberal and strong democracy is reflected by a strong media presence in a country, since they are supposed to be the voice of the common people. A democracy that has a stomach for criticisms and disagreements is taken in a positive way. 

Some governments get very hostile when faced with any form of criticism and so they try to oppress any voices that might stand against them. This becomes a dangerous model of governance for any country. For example, India has more than hundred and thirty crores of population now and we can be sure that every individual will not have the same thought process and same views and opinions about one thing. A true democracy is made by the difference of opinions and the respect people have for each other in the team that is responsible for making the policies.

Before making a choice, all aspects and angles of the topic should be taken into consideration. A good democracy will involve all the people - supporters and critics alike, before formulating a policy, but a bad one will sideline its critics, and force authoritarian and unilateral policies upon all of the citizens.

Sedition law, a British-era law, was a weapon that was used in India to stifle criticism and curb freedom of speech during the pre-independence era. Through section 124A of Indian Penal Code, the law states that if a person with his words, written or spoken, brings hatred, contempt or excites tension towards a government or an individual can be fined or jailed or fined and jailed both. This law was used by the Britishers to stifle the freedom fighters. Today it is being used by the political parties to silence criticism and as a result is harming the democratic values of the nation. 

Many laws in India also protect the people in rightfully exercising their freedom of expression but the implementation of these laws is proving to be a challenge. Freedom of speech cannot be absolute. In the name of freedom of speech, hatred, tensions, bigotry and violence too cannot be caused in the society. It will then become ironically wrong to allow freedom of speech in the first place. Freedom of speech and expression should not become the reason for chaos and anarchy in a nation. Freedom of speech was stifled when article 370 got revoked in Kashmir. Not that the government was trying to go against the democratic values, but they had to prevent the spread of fake news, terrorism or any type of communal tensions in those areas.

Short Essay on Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech allows the people of our country to express themselves, and share their ideas, views and opinions openly. As a result, the public and the media can comment on any political activity and also express their dissent towards anything they think is not appropriate.

Various other countries too provide freedom of speech to their citizens but they have certain limitations. Different countries have different restrictions on their freedom of speech. Some countries also do not allow this fundamental right at all and the best example being North Korea. There, the media or the public are not allowed to speak against the government. It becomes a punishable offence to criticize the government or the ministers or the political parties.

Key Highlights of the Essay - Freedom of Speech

Every democratic country gives its citizens the Freedom of Speech so as to enable the citizens to freely express their individual views, ideas and concerns. The freedom to be able to practice any religion, to be able to express individual secularism and for spreading democratic values across the world. In order to be able to save and to celebrate democracy, enforcing freedom of speech in India Is essential. Freedom of speech  about fundamental rights is also a fundamental duty of citizens in order to save the essence of democracy.  In a country, a healthy, liberal and strong democracy is always  reflected and can be seen through a strong media presence, as the media are the voice of the common people.  When faced with any form of criticism, we see some governments get very hostile,  and they  try to oppress  and stop any kind of  voices that might go against them. This is not favorable for any country. 

A good democracy involves all the people - all their various  supporters and critics alike, before they begin formulating any policies. India had the Sedition law, a British-era law that is used to stifle criticism and curb freedom of speech during the pre-independence era. The section 124A of Indian Penal Code, this law of sedition stated that if a person with his words, written or spoken, brings hatred, contempt or excites tension towards a government or an individual, then he can be fined or jailed or both. Using  freedom of speech, people spread hatred, unnecessary tensions, bigotry and some amount of violence too in the society. Ironically  in such cases, it will be wrong to allow freedom of speech. The reasons for chaos and anarchy in a nation should not be due to  Freedom of speech and expression. This law was stifled when article 370 got revoked in Kashmir, in order to prevent the spread of fake news, terrorism or any type of communal tensions in those areas.

Freedom of speech gives people of our country, the freedom to express themselves, to be able to share their ideas, views and opinions openly, where the public and the media can express and comment on any political activities and can also be able to express their dissent towards anything they think is not appropriate. Different countries have different restrictions on their freedom of speech. And it is not proper to comment on that .In Fact, there are some countries which does not allow this fundamental right , for example, North Korea where neither the media nor the public have any right to speak against or even for the government and it is a punishable offense to openly criticize the government or the or anyone in particular.

While freedom of speech lets the society grow it could have certain negative outcomes. It should not be used to disrespect or instigate others. The media too should not misuse it. We, the people of this nation, should act responsibly towards utilizing its freedom of speech and expression. Lucky we are to be citizens of India. It’s a nation that respects all its citizens and gives them the rights needed for their development and growth.

A fundamental right of every citizen of India, the  ‘Freedom of Speech’ allows citizens to share their individual thoughts and views.

essays about freedom of speech

FAQs on Essay on Freedom of Speech in English Free PDF download

1. Mention five lines for Freedom of Speech Essay?

i) A fundamental right that is guaranteed to citizens of a country to be able to express their opinions and points of view without any kind of censorship.

ii) A democracy’s health depends on the extent of freedom of expression of all its citizens.

iii) Freedom of speech is never absolute in nature.

iv) New Zealand, USA or UK rank  high in terms of freedom of speech by its citizens.

v) A fundamental right in the Indian constitution is the Freedom of Speech and Expression.

2. Explain Freedom of Speech?

A fundamental right of every citizen of India, Freedom Of Speech allows every citizen the freedom and the right to express all their views, concerns, ideas and issues relating to anything about their country. Freedom of Speech is never actual in nature  and has its limits too. It cannot be used for any kind of illegal purposes.The health of a democracy depends on the extent of freedom of expression of its citizens.

3. What happens when there is no Freedom of Speech?

A country will become a police and military state with no democratic and humanitarian values in it if there is no freedom of speech. Freedom of Speech is a fundamental right for all citizens, and a failure to not being able to express one’s ideas, beliefs, and thoughts will result in a non authoritarian and non democratic country.  Failure to have freedom of speech in a country would mean that the rulers or the governments of those countries have no respect for its citizens.

4. Where can we get study material related to essay writing ?

It is important to practice some of the important questions in order to do well. Vedantu.com offers these important questions along with answers that have been formulated in a well structured, well researched, and easy to understand manner. Various essay writing topics, letter writing samples, comprehension passages are all available at the online portals today. Practicing and studying with the help of these enable the students to measure their level of proficiency, and also allows them to understand the difficult questions with ease. 

You can avail all the well-researched and good quality chapters, sample papers, syllabus on various topics from the website of Vedantu and its mobile application available on the play store. 

5. Why should students choose Vedantu for an essay on the topic 'Freedom of Speech’?

Essay writing is important for students   as it helps them increase their brain and vocabulary power. Today it is important to be able to practice some important topics, samples and questions to be able to score well in the exams. Vedantu.com offers these important questions along with answers that have been formulated in a well structured, well researched, and easy to understand manner. The NCERT and other study material along with their explanations are very easily accessible from Vedantu.com and can be downloaded too. Practicing with the help of these questions along with the solutions enables the students to measure their level of proficiency, and also allows them to understand the difficult questions with ease. 

6. What is Freedom of Speech?

Freedom of speech is the ability to express our opinions without any fear.

7. Which country allows the highest level of Freedom of Speech to its citizens?

The USA is at the highest with a score of 5.73.

8. Is Freedom of Speech absolute?

No, freedom of speech cannot be absolute. It has limitations.

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This essay includes a discussion of the analysis of freedom of speech and community safety. Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right so is community safety. It is believed by many that freedom of speech is the freedom everyone should have. However, freedom of speech should be limited because some speeches cause harm and discomfort to individuals and communities for the sake of community safety.

Freedom of speech is one of human’s fundamental rights hence, everyone should have the right to freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the right to express opinions without being afraid of police arrest. Although there are a few countries that do not allow citizens to have freedom of speech, many countries have applied freedom of speech. Countries like North Korea, and Syria which is under authoritarianism do not have freedom of speech. Even the word “freedom of speech” might not exist in their “brain dictionary”. 2. Accordingly, countries that have known freedom of speech and are more open-minded (democratic) tend to support freedom of speech as they are democratic countries. Data based collected by The Justitia Free Speech Index indicated that among the 33 countries surveyed, Scandinavians and Americans are most supportive of free speech, while, Russians, Muslim-majority nations, and the least socio-economically developed nations show low levels of support. Subsequently on December 10th, 1984, UNHCR declared that in article 19 “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Therefore, everyone should have the right to freedom of speech.

Community safety is important for humans to feel safe at home, workplace, and neighborhood. Community safety is not just injury or crime prevention physically. It is also about communities having a healthy life emotionally. There is very little research or studies done on community safety. Studies on how community safety should be a priority for humans should be done. This is supported by a website of Northampton posted that “Community safety relates to the quality of life and being able to pursue and obtain the fullest benefits from your domestic, social and economic lives without fear or hindrance from crime and disorder.” Hence, community safety should be prioritized for humans to live in safe and comfortably.

Many accept that emotional pain is as painful as or even worse than physical pain. Thus, freedom of speech that may cause emotional pain, as well as physical pain, should be limited. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right for humans however if there are no limitations to it, it will cause harm to other individuals. Fortunately, the first amendment of the U.S. constitution does not protect “fighting words, threats, and inciting violence”. Cyberbullies are very popular nowadays as it is a digital world. It is confirmed by VJR consulting that tweens (preteens) have been experiencing bullies. There were 1,034 tweens who responded. Among them, 816, which is about 80% of the students had been exposed to bullying. About 15% of them were cyberbullied as 90% of the tweens have their own devices which allow them to use social media and play games. These kinds of cyberbullies are usually written or spoken by predators. Social media allow everyone to post what the users want to, which allows predators to do what they please (freedom of speech). There is a report button, yet although it is reported it does not completely stop the predator. This leads to harm an individual by being cyberbullied. There is no clear research or study done on this so, more studies should be done on how community safe and freedom of speech relate to each other and which one people prioritize more. Consequently, hates speeches and false speeches should be limited. A young man “called 911 and falsely reported a hostage situation,” and then, “the SWAT team dispatched and unintentionally, killed an innocent man who had no idea what was going on” just because of the false speech that a young man spoke. To avoid, situations where false speeches, hate speeches, or speeches that would harm other individuals, freedom of speech should be limited.

In conclusion, freedom of speech that causes harm and discomfort to society should be restricted. In summary, freedom of speech is a fundamental right of humans and so is community safety as it is part of living in safe. Hence, speeches that harm individuals should be restricted to protect the community. There might be no solution for this as humans are unpredictable and so is what is going to happen. Therefore, a solution to solve freedom of speech’s harm to community safety should be studied on.

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    In conclusion, freedom of speech that causes harm and discomfort to society should be restricted. In summary, freedom of speech is a fundamental right of humans