Week 2: Student Response to Discussion One and Two

ThursdayMar 1 at 12:04pm

Manage Discussion Entry

The social value of freedom of speech is determined by how it interferes with the government. Looking at the examples that were listed, freedom of speech is limited to that of causing harm, not physical, but emotional or social distress towards someone else. When it comes to freedom of speech, we must take into consideration just how far our words can go, before it becomes too much. The book states that, “To understand the meaning of freedom of the press and speech, it is necessary to understand the meaning of censorship, for viewed from a negative position freedom of expression can be simply defined as the absence of censorship or a freedom from government control.” Voicing your opinion is part of freedom of speech. When someone disagrees with what you say is also a part of that. The main problem that we seem to have is that we try to voice our opinions as fact, which will garner more backlash from others. In the article, ‘Student’s Facebook Tirade against Teacher is Protected by Speech,’ the case with the college student is protected because it was a Facebook page set up for others to voice their opinions about a teacher that they disliked. Where as the story about the 14-year old student was not freedom of speech because they made a social media page and pretended to be someone they were not. On this page they had associated their principal as a sex offender which is a major crime. There is a difference when you voice an opinion and when you state that opinion as facts for the world to see.

-Kendra

Kravets, D. (2017, June 04). Student's Facebook Tirade Against Teacher Is Protected Speech. Retrieved March 01, 2018, from https://www.wired.com/2010/02/student-facebook-tirade-against-teacher-is-protected-speech/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Pember, D. R., & Calvert, C. (2015). Mass media law. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education