Freedom of Expression in the Internet Era

Abstract

One of the most important human rights is the freedom of expression, yet in an era of the Internet’s explosive growth, the communicative character of speech has undergone significant change. The lines between legitimate and illegal forms of expression have also blurred, and if they do, they may have a huge negative impact on society, such as when hate speech is used. It is often assumed that only public authorities are responsible for governing freedom of expression, but nowadays, private companies also play a crucial role. The paper begins with a succinct explanation of freedom of expression and then analyses two typical methods used by public bodies in the US and the EU to regulate that right. After that, it presents about how private firms like Facebook and Twitter handle the right to free speech. Finally, it demonstrates that cooperation between public authority and private corporations is required to ensure freedom of speech under the objective circumstances of the rapid technological growth of private firms.