The general topic of my research paper concerns exploring freedom of speech, with a specific focus on each person’s right to express their thoughts on the Internet. The idea of my topic is reflected in the above working title of the proposal, but I am also considering the following title: “Social Networks’ Impact on Freedom of Speech.” I am interested in the topic because the Internet has become an integral part of people’s lives, and modern society uses social media platforms as one of the primary ways to communicate and receive information. IT corporations that own those platforms often appear to be in conflict with powerful political actors, which raises debates in public due to certain regulations. In particular, while governments are supposed to secure people’s freedom of speech, social networks have begun restricting this right. Therefore, I propose the need for further research on the influence of social media platforms on public opinion and society in general.
I have examined some issues within this topic in my previous assignment but would like to know more, especially concerning legal aspects related to the matter. I could use an article by Alkiviadou (2019), in which the author describes legal regulations of hate speech, and a similar report by Ganninger (2021) concerning freedom of speech and politics. Furthermore, Gillespie (2018) suggests what social media platforms should be, Vosoughi et al. (2018) investigate true and false news, and Graciyal and Viswam (2018) analyze freedom of expression as a basic human right. Although the content distributed by social networks should be protected by freedom of speech, it may contain false information or calls for violence, thereby endangering the welfare of society. Thus, there seems to be an urgency to protect the freedom of speech and restrict the spread of erroneous and violent ideas. Finally, the potential questions I could ask are as follows:
- What approaches are currently being implemented to prevent the spread of violence and attacks on democratic institutions in social networks?
- To what extent can the government of a state influence public opinion on social networks without restricting freedom of speech?
- What laws are adopted in the USA, and how can they limit freedom of speech in social networks?
- What are the mechanisms of occurrence of false news in social media?
- Why should anyone have the power to restrict another person’s right to freedom of speech on the Internet?
References
Alkiviadou, N. (2019). Hate speech on social media networks: Towards a regulatory framework? Information & Communications Technology Law, 28(1), 19-35. Web.
Ganninger, P. (2021). Freedom of tweets: The role of social media in a marketplace of ideas. SLU Law Journal Online, 63. Web.
Gillespie, T. (2018). Custodians of the Internet: Platforms, content moderation, and the hidden decisions that shape social media. Yale University Press.
Graciyal, G., & Viswam, D. (2018). Freedom of expression in social media: A political perspective. Research Review International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 3(1), 110-113.
Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. Science, 359(6380), 1146-1151.