A wave of censorship is sweeping through democracies worldwide, raising profound concerns about freedom of expression.
British citizens face charges for social media posts, France has arrested the owner of Telegram, and Brazil shut down Elon Musk’s X for not following censorship rules. Mark Zuckerberg also revealed that the Biden administration pressured Facebook and Instagram to censor unfavorable stories.
A poll conducted last month by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression revealed that nearly one in three Americans now believe the First Amendment “goes too far.”
There is no protection for free speech when it comes to misinformation or hate speech, particularly in the context of our democracy. In fact, the freedom to express ideas that the majority may oppose is essential to the very fabric of a free society.
Our fundamental freedoms are under threat from governments and political leaders. An investigation by the Foundation for Freedom Online revealed that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) worked with online platforms to censor those labeled as “domestic threat actors” for posting “misinformation.” This raises serious concerns about potential First Amendment violations.
The website showcasing the operation was removed from the internet, but it was successfully retrieved using the “Wayback Machine.” A CISA spokesperson firmly asserted that the agency has never engaged in censorship and noted that the material was removed primarily because it caused significant misunderstanding.
Censorship in Western democracies is troubling. In Great Britain, once viewed as a stronghold of democracy, police charge thousands of citizens annually for social media posts. In one video, an officer tells a man, “I’m arresting you for improper use of the electronic communications network.”
Britain’s top police official has made it clear that Americans who incite trouble in the UK could face extradition. Furthermore, technology expert Dr. Norman Lewis from the think tank MCC Brussels firmly states that the European Union has abandoned the principle of free speech online.
He argues that only speech sanctioned by the EU is permitted. The First Amendment of the United States was established to prevent this type of censorship by protecting speech that the majority may find offensive, insulting, or even verbally abusive.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Matel v. Tam unequivocally demonstrates that the First Amendment safeguards the right to express even the most unpopular thoughts. Turley emphasizes that “free speech is a natural right,” a perspective that aligns with the framers’ intentions when they crafted the First Amendment.
They firmly believed that free speech is a gift from God, an inherent right that belongs to every human being. It is not something granted by the government, nor is it subject to its tolerance. The government has a crucial duty to protect free speech because it defines our very humanity.
The former editor-in-chief of USA Today and Director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University emphasizes that the freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment is essential to the very foundation of America.
“To remain rich and strong as a nation, we need an environment where all ideas can be shared freely,” Paulson said. “If you cannot express yourself freely, we cannot thrive as a nation.”
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Few people adhere to the teachings of the Bible, resulting in a decline in moral standards worldwide.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work sin.
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