Free Speech on the Internet :: Web Laws Politics Rights Essays

Free Speech on the InternetFreedom of run-in has been a big issue on the Internet lately. But Id want to suggest that, properly viewed, policy markets are a untold big free speech issue than the recent ban on untoward internet posts.First, lets start with the puzzle why free speech?. What is the inherent difference between a legislature forbidding few peck from making indecent speech at the request of others who fear creation offended by such speech, and a legislature taxing some sight to pay for other peoples education or recreation? In each case interests are opposed, there are policy-making winners and losers, and a majority may trample on some rights of a minority. why should one case be forbidden and the other allowed? The strongest wide-accepted argument for having courts select down laws which limit free speech is to protect communications intend to influence the political process. You see, even if a large majority best-loved to ban indecent speech, or to fund educ ation with taxes, they might neer find out that they all preferred this outcome if they were prevented from publicly discussing the issue. Instead, a government might lock in its current advantage and preferences by forbidding any questioning of its current laws. Without free political speech, a minority might much more easily trample on a majority (a worse fate than a majority trample a minority). Thus political speech deserves extra protection.Note, however, that this argument for political speech applies to any action whose briny consequence is to communicate breeding to influence the political process (and whose other consequences are not likewise burdensome to others). So not only should it apply to newspapers, TV, the internet, T-shirts, bumper-stickers, and window signs, except it should also apply to political demonstrations and other costly political signals.You see, the main information communicated by a political demonstration is not the linguistic communication cha nted or held high on posters, but that fact that these people care enough to spend their time demonstrating for this cause. (Thus it is important to demonstrate in clear public view, and to not look like youre having too much fun.) Expensive signals like demonstrations can communicate what mere words cannot - metier of feeling and opinion. (Sure you can say you really care, but everyone says that.)Unfortunately, many expensive political signals, such as campaign contributions and political advertizing, are widely limited by law. Perhaps such limits can be justify by arguing that these actions can also do much harm, in addition to communicating information to politicians and voters.