preview

Freedom Of Speech Limitations

Decent Essays

Reasons why Freedom of speech should be limited
Freedom of speech without restrictions or fear of censorship is a right that is entrenched within the societies of only a limited amount of countries including the United States. What makes the United States unique amongst other countries with similar freedom of speech laws is the iron clad protection that the First amendment of the Constitution provides, due to its very broad interpretation. The right to free speech was in place in the United States of America since 1791 effectively protecting all forms of speech no matter how offensive or obscene it may be. This right allows individuals to speak their mind and express their feelings however they like without fear of any government reprisal and is one of the few things Americans as a whole staunchly support irrespective of differing political or religious ideologies. However, all that changed during the 2016 presidential election which was considered to be one of the most unpredictable and controversial elections in American history. As a consequence of the provocative rhetoric being thrown around during that election cycle, many Americans were beginning to take a serious look at the first amendment and some of the unintended consequences it came with. The 2016 elections were so divisive that for the first time, the American people were split on whether to make changes to the first amendment or more accurately finding ways to curb hate speech or leave it unchanged as it is.

Get Access