Freedom of Speech PDF

# Freedom of Speech - As stated in the Bill of Rights ## In This Presentation... - What does it mean? - History & Development - Television - Newspaper & Magazines - Internet ## What Does "Freedom of Speech" Mean? "Freedom of Speech" is understood as: - The right to express information and ide...

# Freedom of Speech - As stated in the Bill of Rights ## In This Presentation... - What does it mean? - History & Development - Television - Newspaper & Magazines - Internet ## What Does "Freedom of Speech" Mean? "Freedom of Speech" is understood as: - The right to express information and ideas - The right to seek information and ideas - The right to receive information and ideas - The right to impart information and ideas It also includes: - The right NOT to speak - The right to use some offensive language when conveying political messages - The right to participate in "symbolic speech" - The right to contribute money to political campaigns ## Everyone Has the Right to Freedom Speech "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the right to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers" - Article 19 of the UDHR # History and Development - **470-399 B.C.** Socrates Trial - **1516** "The Education of a Christian Prince" by Erasmus - **1644** "Areopagitica" by John Milton - **1689** Bill of Rights grants freedom of speech in Parliament - **1789** "The Declaration of the Rights of Man" - **1791** The First Amendment of the US Bill of Rights - **1948** The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is adopted by the UN General Assembly - **2005** The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act bans protest without permit within 1km of the British Parliament. ## Television - All broadcast media is very powerful - needs regulations - Government granted license to broadcast - Broadcasting through TV - more of a privilege - Mature rated programs not allowed during daytime - Government cannot limit expression just because any listener, or even the majority of a community, is offended by its content - Restrictions only if it clearly causes direct and imminent harm to an important societal interest. ## Newspapers & Magazines - "A newspaper publishes an article favoring issue x. Following this, supporters of the opposite, issue y, demand that the newspaper publishes an article opposing issue x. The newspaper refuses." - Freedom of press: - Right to publish newspapers, magazines etc - Government supposed to protect private entities' right to freedom of expression - Violation of First Amendment only if a law or governmental action is involved. - Restrictions in cases of: - Libel - Obscenity - Sedition ## World Wide Web - The Internet is the largest common area in the world - very hard to restrict! - "In cyberspace, the First Amendment is a local ordinance" - John Barlow - Government controlled companies who build "Internet platforms" try to imply regulations - Internet's structure is robust - impossible to completely block everything - Private users can block access to info through firewalls - State owned property (not public forums) can be restricted by the government ## Government May Prohibit Following Exceptions - Speech that is likely to lead to imminent lawless action - Words so insulting that people are likely to fight back - Obscenity - Defamatory (false) statements - Commercials - misleading or illegal # Sources - http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/ilaw/Speech/ - http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ip_speech.htm - http://ifea.net/ - http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/02/156619.htm - http://cornellsun.com/node/36482 - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/freedom+of+the+press - http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=16 - http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0407a.asp - http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/freedom-expression-arts-and-entertainment - http://www.caslon.com.au/censorshipguide21.htm