freedom of speech gp essay

Do you agree that freedom of speech should never be denied even though it can be abused?

Freedom of speech is, to the Western world, a principal human right that must be protected by the law. Yet, to the Asian world, the freedom of speech is much less absolute, subject to the regulation of the state. Does the freedom of speech supersede other rights? Does it supersede social cohesion? Freedom of speech is no doubt an important tool, but it should not come at a cost that society is not ready to bear. Crucially, freedom of speech should be protected to the extent that it does not cause grievous harm to society. Freedom of speech is not an absolute right and should be denied in certain circumstances when it is abused. It should be protected in most instances, but where it facilitates egregious harm against society, spreads misinformation, and particularly hurts the vulnerable, such free speech no longer has a place in society.

Firstly, free speech can potentially cause grievous harm to society. In today’s polarised world, voices are becoming more strident, anti-establishment culls dominate socio-political discussions. People are becoming more vocal, particularly voices of dissent. In itself, that is not a bad thing. The problem arises when the amplification of these voices emboldens problematic subsets of ‘free speech’, such as hate speech. Hate speech is particularly pernicious because it is sectarian in nature, driving wedges between groups of people, and can prove an incredibly divisive force. Social unity is therefore threatened and can rip apart the social fabric. The unrest that would subsequently ensue is sufficiently egregious a harm for such speech to be denied. Speech that incites such divisiveness has been rejected by society and governments. Donald Trump’s role in the Capitol storming aptly reflects this. His ‘free speech’ rallied together extremist and radical right-wing Trump supporters, who fought not only to reverse the democratic process but push forth white supremacy amongst other conservative ideals. The abuse of such free speech for individual gain on Trump’s part cost massive wastage in taxpayer dollars, the loss of innocent lives, and many minorities to live in fear. Arguably, the bigoted ideas of these supporters already existed. Yet, the crucial difference here is that certain expressions of free speech embolden individuals to act on their impulses, threatening social stability. It is in this vein that Twitter banned Trump from its platform indefinitely, and the Senate brought forth impeachment charges against Trump. This highlights that our society and legal systems, as much as they try to defend free speech, prioritise social unity and security first.

Secondly, unrestricted free speech is a breeding ground for the proliferation of fake news. Fake news has been the concern of governments across the world in the last few years. Misinformation causes public fear, undermines government legitimacy, and often causes undue stress in society. Understandably, it would be mendacious to characterise all fake news as insidious in nature and created to cause harm. Many cases do arise where the fake news does not accrue significant social cost and was shared by innocent and unknowing individuals. This, however, does not discount that there is a group of individuals who will frivolously create misinformation for perverse enjoyment and the pursuit of selfish gains, abusing the protection we grant to the freedom of speech. Given that these individuals often disseminate the most attention-grabbing fake news, the extent of their impact could be massive and such freedom of speech must therefore be denied in such cases. The lack of regulation of fake news in the West proved costly in their COVID-19 pandemic fight, elucidating why such free speech ought to be restricted. The West, particularly the US, was plagued by relentless vaccine misinformation and other COVID conspiracies. Take for example QAnon which was incredibly vocal in its conspiracy claims that COVID was a ploy to keep Trump out of the office and not a true threat to society. Even if considering the view that QAnon is an anomaly, incidents of fake news cause significant vaccine hesitancy and skepticism toward government institutions. Opposition to such restrictions may argue that these large-scale crises are rare, but crucially, this lack of regulation presents a slippery slope and sets a precedent that cannot be reversed sufficiently quickly in times of crises. Free speech therefore should not be protected in such cases.

Freedom of speech should additionally be denied when it particularly hurts the vulnerable. Race of religion centric hate speech, the speech of a sexual nature toward minors in an attempt to solicit sexual favours, phishing and doxxing, among other sorts of speech, are prohibited by most states. As important as free speech may be, we must recognise that there are vulnerable individuals whom the state ought to protect. For example, they include children who are not rationally able to consent in most scenarios, the mentally handicapped, and racial-religious minorities who generally suffer microaggressions and lack the social, economic, and political capital to defend themselves. In these cases, these groups often cannot fight back or are disproportionately hurt, which the state must stand against. This restriction to free speech has been observed globally and is indicative of each state’s prioritisation of the safety of the vulnerable. For example, the penal code 298A in Singapore and Article 10 in the United Kingdom’s Human Rights Act of 1998 all put forth caveats to free speech that specifically protect minorities. The harsher laws to deter crime against children, such as section 2442(b) of Title 18 in the United States, is yet another reflection of state priorities. Such restrictions are hence principally aligned with state and social values and should be enforced.

Some may claim, conversely, that free speech is an a priori good and is crucial to self-actualisation. The underlying logic is that individuals can only live their best lives in the most meaningful way at the point where they have absolute freedom of speech. For example, individuals can engage in meaningful discourse when they can speak freely without fear of backlash, and can openly actualise their identity however they wish. Free speech is also necessary for the exchange of ideas which help inform an individual’s conception of social norms, as well as their standing relative to their society. Self-actualisation is important as it is the most individual and personal way in which a person can give value to their existence, which is crucial in leading a dignified life.

I would posit, however, that self-actualisation is not dependent on the freedom of speech, and can be accessed through many other means such as one’s talents of interest. Even if the freedom of speech is crucial to self-actualisation, the point at which we deny the freedom of speech is when it causes significant harm to society. Such speech is not the basis of an identity that the state should protect, insofar that the intentions are malicious. On balance, the right for minorities to function without the feat of bigotry in every waking moment, the right for children to be safe against predators, the right for citizens to live in a stable society that allows them to pursue their self-actualisation, cumulatively override the ability for a bigoted minority to self-actualise. There is no hesitancy that should arise in making such a trade-off. Note, however, that there is a difference between hate and discriminatory speech. All hate speech is discriminatory, but not all discriminatory speech is hate speech. Crucially, the intent must be considered in determining the nature of the speech. Any true threat to safety and intention to harm must be silenced.

This is not a world where free speech is silenced at all costs; do make no mistake of that. Dissent is valid and protected. Recognise that in most cases, protecting society and the vulnerable will not come at the cost of free speech. But when push comes to shove, protect the citizens and protect the vulnerable. A privileged white male can be vocal, openly expressing his bigotry through loudspeakers, and call it self-actualisation. But to the young Muslim girl who fears for her life walking home at night, for the single African-American mother who struggles to feed her children even on food stamps, for the refugee who lives in constant fear that he will once again be thrust into the unforgiving torment of fleeing from home, his free speech is much more than just words.

His speech is not speech we should protect. Deny free speech when it is abused.

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2020 A-Level General Paper (GP) Paper 1 Essay Questions

The 2020 A Level GP essay questions was seen by students as unusual: there were quite a number of miscellaneous questions and questions that were a hybrid of multiple themes. We predicted several topics accurately for our students this year, including sports, science and morality, democracy and technology as well as free speech.

1. How reliable are statistics as a guide for planning the future?

2. To what extent is human life in general about the survival of the fittest?

3. ‘Individuals achieve sporting success, not nations’. Discuss.

4. ‘We shape our buildings, but then our buildings shape us.’ To what extent is this true of your society?

5. To what extent can any society claim to be great?

6. Examine the view that the scientist is concerned only with knowledge, not morality.

7. Given greater levels of international cooperation, how necessary is it for countries to engage in the arms trade?

8. Should politicians pursue the popular viewpoint or their own convictions, if they conflict?

9. Is modern technology a benefit or a threat to democracy?

10. ‘An appreciation of music is vital for a fully rounded education.’ How true is this of your society?

11. ‘In a free society, there should be no restrictions on freedom of speech.’ Discuss.

12. How far can prosperity and uncontrolled population growth go hand in hand?

123 Freedom of Speech Topics & Essay Examples

Looking for exciting freedom of speech topics to write about? This issue is definitely worth studying!

🔝 Top 10 Freedom of Speech Essay Topics

⁉️ freedom of speech essay: how to write, 🏆 best freedom of speech essay examples & topic ideas, 🔍 simple & easy freedom of speech essay titles, 💡 most interesting freedom of speech topics to write about, ❓ research questions about freedom of speech.

In your freedom of speech essay, you might want to focus on the historical perspective, elaborate on the negative effects of censorship, or even share your personal experience. Whether you will choose to write an argumentative, persuasive, or narrative essay, our article will help! We’ve gathered a list of excellent topics, ideas, and questions, together with A+ freedom of speech essay examples.

• Freedom of speech as an individual and a collective right
• Freedom of speech and its limitations
• Negative effects of censorship
• The origins of freedom of speech
• Freedom of speech as a negative right
• Democracy and freedom of speech
• Freedom of information in the era of Internet
• Freedom of speech and academic freedom
• Liberalism and freedom of speech
• Freedom of speech in the US

Freedom of speech is an important topic because every person has a fundamental right to express their opinions freely. Our ability to express our thoughts allows society to change and develop.

Essays on freedom of speech can raise awareness of the significance of this issue. That is why it is vital to create powerful and well-developed papers on this cause.

You can discuss various topics in your freedom of speech essay. You can search for them online or consult your professor. Here are our suggestions on freedom of speech essay analysis questions:

• The advantages and disadvantages of free speech policies
• The struggle schools face from the perspective of free speech
• The appropriate use of free speech
• The link between the freedom of speech and yellow journalism
• Speech as a personality trait: What the freedom of speech can reveal about people
• Freedom of speech: Pros and cons
• Freedom of speech in the United States (or other countries)

Once you have selected one of the titles for your essay, it is time to start working on the paper. Here are some do’s of writing the essay:

• Select topics that you are most interested in, as your dedication can help you to keep the reader engaged too. You can select one from the freedom of speech essay titles presented above.
• Develop a well-organized freedom of speech essay outline. Think of the main points you want to discuss and decide how you can present them in the paper. For example, you can include one introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and one concluding paragraphs.
• Define your freedom of speech essay thesis clearly. You should state it at the end of the introduction. The reader should understand the main point of your paper.
• While working on a persuasive essay, do not forget to include a section with an alternative perspective on the problem you are discussing.
• Remember that a concluding paragraph is vital because it includes a summary of all arguments presented in the paper. Rephrase the main points of the essay and add recommendations, if necessary.
• Check out essay examples online to see how you can structure your paper and organize the information.

Remember that you should avoid certain things while writing your essay. Here are some important don’ts to consider:

• Do not focus on your personal opinion solely while writing your paper. Support your claims with evidence from the literature or credible online sources.
• Do not ignore your professor’s requirements. Stick within the word limit and make sure that your essay meets all the criteria from the grading rubric, if there is one.
• Avoid using personal blogs or Wikipedia as the primary sources of information, unless your professor states it in the instructions. Ask your instructor about the literature you can use for the essay.
• When checking other students’ essays online, avoid copying their ideas. Remember that your paper should be plagiarism-free.
• Make sure that your paper is mistake-free. Grammatical mistakes may make the reader think that your opinion is not credible. It is better to check the essay several times before sending it to your professor.

Don’t hesitate to explore our free samples that can help you to write an outstanding essay!

• Freedom of Speech in Social Media Essay Gelber tries to say that the history of the freedom of speech in Australia consists of the periods of the increasing public debates on the issue of human rights and their protection.
• Teachers’ Freedom of Speech in Learning Institutions The judiciary system has not clearly defined the limits of the First Amendment in learning institutions, and it’s a public concern, especially from the teachers.
• Balancing Freedom of Speech and Responsibility in Online Commenting The article made me perceive the position of absolute freedom of speech in the Internet media from a dual perspective. This desire for quick attention is the creation of information noise, distracting from the user […]
• Freedom of Speech as a Basic Human Right Restricting or penalizing freedom of expression is thus a negative issue because it confines the population of truth, as well as rationality, questioning, and the ability of people to think independently and express their thoughts.
• Freedom of Speech and Propaganda in School Setting One of the practical solutions to the problem is the development and implementation of a comprehensive policy for balanced free speech in the classroom.
• Twitter and Violations of Freedom of Speech and Censorship The sort of organization that examines restrictions and the opportunities and challenges it encounters in doing so is the center of a widely acknowledged way of thinking about whether it is acceptable to restrict speech.
• Freedom of Speech in Social Networks The recent case of blocking the accounts of former US President Donald Trump on Twitter and Facebook is explained by the violation of the rules and conditions of social platforms.
• Freedom of Speech in Shouting Fire: Stories From the Edge of Free Speech Even though the First Amendment explicitly prohibits any laws regarding the freedom of speech, Congress continues to make exceptions from it.
• Freedom of Speech as the Most Appreciated Liberty In the present-day world, the progress of society largely depends on the possibility for people to exercise their fundamental rights. From this perspective, freedom of speech is the key to everyone’s well-being, and, in my […]
• Why Defamation Laws Must Prioritize Freedom of Speech The body of the essay will involve providing information on the nature of defamation laws in the USA and the UK, the implementation of such laws in the two countries, and the reason why the […]
• The Internet and Freedom of Speech: Ethics and Restrictions Because of a lack of security technology, across the board prohibition is justified under the law, a concept that is in itself considered unlawful by a strict definition of the First Amendment of the Constitution […]
• Protesting as a Way of Exercising Freedoms of Speech and Expression However, this department will be very careful in monitoring the behavior of the protestors and engaging in dialogue to solve issues that may lead to conflicts.
• Freedom of Speech: Is Censorship Necessary? One of the greatest achievements of the contemporary democratic society is the freedom of speech. However, it is necessary to realize in what cases the government has the right to abridge the freedom of self-expression.
• Freedom of Speech and the Internet On the one hand, the freedom of expression on the internet allowed the general public to be informed about the true nature of the certain events, regardless of geographical locations and restrictions.
• The Freedom of Speech: Communication Law in US By focusing on the on goings in Guatemala, the NYT may have, no doubt earned the ire of the Bush administration, but it is also necessary that the American people are made aware of the […]
• Freedom of Speech and Expression in Music Musicians are responsible and accountable for fans and their actions because in the modern world music and lyrics become a tool of propaganda that has a great impact on the circulation of ideas and social […]
• Freedom of Speech on Campus The primary issue identified by the case study is the extent to which free speech can be used and is protected regarding sensitive social aspects and discussions.
• Freedom of Speech and International Relations The freedom of speech or the freedom of expression is a civil right legally protected by many constitutions, including that of the United States, in the First Amendment.
• The Importance of Freedom of Speech In a bid to nurture the freedom of speech, the United States provides safety to the ethical considerations of free conversations.
• Freedom of Speech in Modern Media At the same time, the bigoted approach to the principles of freedom of speech in the context of the real world, such as killing or silencing journalists, makes the process of promoting the same values […]
• Freedom of Speech: Julian Assange and ‘WikiLeaks’ Case Another significant issue is that the precedent of WikiLeaks questions the power of traditional journalism to articulate the needs of the society and to monitor the governments.
• Advertising and Freedom of Speech According to Liodice, the marketer should provide the best information to the targeted consumer. The duty of the marketer is to educate and inform the consumer about the unique features of his or her product.
• Freedom of Speech and Expression This implies that autonomy is the epitome of the freedom of expression in many ways. Perhaps, this is the point of diversion between autonomy and restriction of the freedom of expression.
• Freedom of speech in the Balkans Freedom of speech in Montenegro In Montenegro, the practice of the freedom of speech and press were restricted to some issues by the law.
• Freedom of Speech in China and Political Reform Although the constitution of China has the provision of the freedom of speech, association, press and even demonstration, the freedom is not there in reality since the constitution forbids the undertaking of anything that is […]
• Controversies Over Freedom of Speech and Internet Postings It must be noted though that despite the Freedom of Speech being a first Amendment right, subsequent amendments to the constitution as well as various historical acts such as the Sedition Act of 1798 and […]
• Government’s control versus Freedom of Speech and Thoughts One of the most effective measures that oppressive regimes use the world over is the limitation of the freedom of speech and thoughts.
• Freedom of Speech: Exploring Proper Limits In this respect, Downs mentions the philosophy of educational establishments, where “the function of the University is to seek and to transmit knowledge and to train student in the process whereby truth is to be […]
• Freedom of Speech, Religion and Religious Tolerance As stipulated in Article 19 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration, the pastor has the right to share ideas and information of all kinds regardless of the periphery involved and in this case, he should […]
• Human Nature and the Freedom of Speech in Different Countries The paper will look at the human nature that necessitates speech and expression, freedom of speech as applied in different countries and limitations that freedom of speech faces.
• The Freedom Of Speech, Press, And Petition
• How The First Amendment Protects Freedom Of Speech
• The Freedom Of Speech, And Gun Ownership Rights
• The Misconception of Hate Speech and Its Connection with the Freedom of Speech in Our First Amendment
• Limitations On Constitutional Rights On Freedom Of Speech
• Teachers’ and Students’ Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression
• Internet Censorship Means No Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of Speech Part of America’s Constitution
• An Examination of the Disadvantage of Freedom of Speech in Slack Activism
• A Description of Freedom of Speech as One of the Most Important Freedoms
• How Censorship In The Media Is Taking AWay Our Freedom Of Speech
• An Analysis of Freedom of Speech and Its Punishments
• The Effects Of Technology On The Right Of Freedom Of Speech
• Freedom of Speech: Missouri Knights of the Ku Klux Klan v. Kansas City
• Problems with Limiting Freedom of Speech
• How The Freedom Of Speech And Its Interpretation Affects
• Giving Up Freedom Of Speech – Censorship On Hate Sites
• Freedom Of Speech, Religion, And The American Dream
• The Freedom Of Speech Across The World Wide Web
• Freedom of Speech: Should There be Restrictions on Speech in the U.S. Democracy
• An Argument in Favor of the Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press in Schools
• Freedom Of Speech And Violent Video Games
• The Importance of Freedom of Speech to the Progress of Society
• The Amendment Is Not Protected Under The Freedom Of Speech
• Should There Be Restrictions to Freedom of Speech
• Why Should Myanmar Have Similar Freedom of Speech Protections to United States
• An Analysis of the Freedom of Speech and the Internet in United States of America
• Freedom of Speech and the First Amendment
• Free Speech : The Benefits Of Freedom Of Speech
• Comparison of Freedom of Speech: Malaysia vs China
• The Fine Line between Freedom of Speech or Hate Speech
• Freedom Of Speech : One Of The Core Principles Of A Democracy
• Prevent Internet Censorship, Save Freedom of Speech
• The Importance of the First Amendment in Providing Freedom of Speech in America
• How the Freedom of Speech Is Possible Through the Internet in China
• The Importance of Freedom of Speech in Higher Education
• Hate Mail and the Misuse of the Freedom of Speech on the Internet
• A Comparison of Freedom of Speech and Private Property
• Importance Of Freedom Of Speech In Colleges
• Freedom Of Speech and Its Legal Limits
• Freedom Of Speech As An International And Regional Human Right
• The Importance of Protecting and Preserving the Right to Freedom of Speech
• An Overview of the Importance of the Freedom of Speech in the United States
• The Communication Decency Act: The Fight for Freedom of Speech on the Internet
• Freedom Of Speech On Students’s Rights In School
• How Far Should the Right to Freedom of Speech Extend
• Journalism and Freedom of Speech
• The Constitution and Freedom of Speech on the Internet in U.S
• ‘Freedom of Speech Means the Freedom to Offend.’
• Does the Law Relating to Obscenity Restict Freedom of Speech?
• Does New Zealand Have Freedom of Speech?
• How Far Should the Right to Freedom of Speech Extend?
• Does South Korea Have Freedom of Speech?
• How the First Amendment Protects Freedom of Speech?
• Does Freedom of Speech Mean You Can Say Anything?
• How Do You Violate Freedom of Speech?
• What Are Mill’s Four Main Arguments in Defence of Freedom of Speech?
• What Violates the Freedom of Speech?
• What Are the Disadvantages of Freedom of Speech?
• Does Freedom of Speech Have Limits?
• Why Does Australia Not Have Freedom of Speech?
• What Are the Three Restrictions to Freedom of Speech?
• How Is Freedom of Speech Abused?
• Who Benefits and Loses from Freedom of Speech?
• Is There Freedom of Speech in Media?
• What Are the Limits of Freedom of Speech in Social Media?
• Does Social Media Allow Freedom of Speech?
• How Is Freedom of Speech Negative?
• Where Is Freedom of Speech Not Allowed?
• Is USA the Only Country with Freedom of Speech?
• Does India Have Freedom of Speech?
• Who Made the Freedom of Speech?
• Why Was Freedom of Speech Created?
• Who Fought for Freedom of Speech?
• Women’s Rights Titles
• Censorship Essay Ideas
• Humanism Research Ideas
• Social Justice Essay Ideas
• Cultural Competence Research Topics
• Personal Values Ideas
• Social Democracy Essay Titles
• Constitution Research Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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GP Essay #28: Is censorship justifiable? 

             “It was a pleasure to burn.” This is the opening line of Ray Bradbury’s novel ‘Fahrenheit 451’, which gives us a glimpse of a world where one could not own or read books. People of this society are unable to think independently as they are unable to access alternative perspectives on controversial issues. Instead, the government controls what they can watch or hear through mainstream media platforms. While it may be a fictional world, several parallels between the society depicted in the book and our current world can be drawn, making the issue of censorship ever more pertinent in today’s era. Despite Bradbury’s novel mainly highlighting the negative impacts of censorship in media, it must be noted that censorship serves as a protective mechanism, a set of training wheels that is meant to be a temporary measure to protect the country until it is confident enough to deal with a truly free society. However, technological advancement and an increasingly well-educated populace underpin the rise of new media and citizen journalism, which do come with its perils. I therefore venture to argue that in our modern context, a completely censorship-free society is misguided.  

Censorship, which refers primarily to the alteration of certain narratives to fit a certain cause, or the omission of facts or opinions which contradict the dominant narrative, may affirm the viewpoints of individuals and groups, and this may have catastrophic effects. Besides affirming the viewpoints of individuals, the presence of ‘Out of Bounds Markers’, which are a form of censorship meant to control the direction of public discourse, set a precedent where controversial issues are rarely or never discussed, allowing misconceptions or erroneous pre-conceived notions about a particular issue to proliferate. A prime example would be how censorship in China has led to a lack of understanding of its history and a hive mind. The Great Firewall of China, which prevents its citizens from accessing the rest of the Internet, along with prevalent internet censorship and distortion of facts has led to a lack of understanding of historical events such as the Tiananmen Massacre. Further, the way in which Chinese state media distort the motivations of protestors in the recent Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests prevent mainlanders from truly understanding the motivations of the Hong Kong people, furthering the divide between the two populations. Such forms of media manipulation is also rife in other totalitarian states like North Korea. The state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, provides the only source of information for all media outlets in North Korea. The media effectively paints the country in a positive light and have consistently upheld the personality cult of the ruling Kim family since the country’s independence.

Propaganda that has been promoted in such ways only prevent the locals from uncovering the truth, and as such, they are oblivious to the fact that they could be victims of human rights abuses. Another local example would be the ‘brownface’ controversy in Singapore. This controversy began when an advertisement sanctioned by Mediacorp – in which a Chinese actor portrayed an Indian uncle by painting his skin with dark paint – drew the ire of citizens, including a pair of siblings who responded with a video presumably criticising the Chinese population for its majoritarian, racist tendencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs responded by urging the siblings to take down the video, which it alleged had seditious tendencies, and by warning other social media users not to circulate the video. The blatant censorship of the video, which was simply a response to the state-sanctioned advertisement, sparked a rancorous debate amongst members of the public. Many were unable to view the siblings’ video, and were thus unable to form a balanced view of the situation, which further inflamed tensions between those who felt the original advertisement which used ‘brownface’ was offensive, and those who did not. As a result of the censorship, Singaporeans were unable to logically discuss and arrive at a common definition of ‘racism’, as well as carefully consider the role of satire in public discourse. This illustrates the importance of transparency in the presentation of mass media, so that it may gradually provide people with opportunities to accept and embrace differences in society. The control of information and ideas would only stifle progress and perpetuate ignorance and hence, censorship may not be relevant or necessary in today’s modern context.

            It can be argued that as literacy levels increase worldwide, the global population is more educated and more capable of being critical and discerning of the information it receives, and as such, the need for censorship has diminished considerably. Access to education has greatly been enhanced in many countries around the world. In fact, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) reports that more than 50% of the population in developed countries around the world have some form of tertiary education. In schools around the world, the curriculum has also been enhanced with media library programmes which emphasize the importance of reason and rationality. As such, it should be expected that a literate population is able to apply critical thinking to information and narratives provided by the media, and form their own opinions. More importantly, they ought to have the prerogative to decide for themselves what they would or would not like to see in media. That said, however, it appears that even with higher levels of education, citizens are unable to discern between falsehoods and facts presented to them: a study published in ‘Science’, which analysed more than 126,000 tweets on Twitter, found that a falsehood reaches a group of 1,500 individual users at a rate that is 6 times quicker than a true story does. While increasing literacy rates may suggest a population that is more inclined to think critically, reality suggests otherwise. A more well-educated populace may not necessarily obviate the need for any form of control over the dissemination of information to the public, meaning that the concept of censorship may not be any less valid than it was previously.

However, we must concede that there are certain instances where it is imperative that censorship be present to serve as a moral guide or compass of sorts. Its relevance and function is demonstrated in its ability to protect children from the ills of mass media. Children who are exposed to mass media for long hours become unknowing victims when they are unwittingly exposed to violent or sexual scenes. As such, children, who tend to be impressionable and naïve, are especially vulnerable to the ills of mass media. Due to the egregious impacts of such undesirable material, the need for censorship is legitimate and relevant. While it may be true that information on the Internet is difficult to control, the fact that a task is a Herculean one does not negate the responsibility of ensuring that it is done, especially when it is a necessary one. Age restrictions on movies, such as PG, M-18, NC-16, R-21, prevent young audiences from being exposed to material that is sexually suggestive or where excessive gore could result in unwise decisions. From this, it can be inferred that the need for censorship is justifiable because of the prevalence of questionable or immoral material that could erode the moral fabric of societies. 

            In addition, censoring sensitive issues such as racial or religious issues could prevent ethnic and religious strife. By eliminating such sources of instability, the government surely has the interest of the larger community in mind as social cohesion is of great importance to any country. For example, in Denmark, cartoons that were thought to have blasphemed the Muslin prophet Muhammed outraged the Muslim community worldwide, leading to the situation being blown out of proportion. In Singapore, a number of individuals have been prosecuted under the Sedition Act for posting insensitive racist remarks online. In 2015, the Sedition Act was invoked against Ello Ed Mundsel Bello, a Filipino nurse who disparaged Singaporeans as ‘Stinkaporeans’ and ‘losers’, and allegedly said that he would ‘celebrate’ when ‘more Singaporeans die’. Another classic case would be that of Amy Cheong’s racist rant case in 2012, where she disparaged Malays for what she perceived to be their low-cost and lengthy void-deck weddings, and also mocked their divorce rate. In these cases, censorship protects individuals and groups from vitriolic speech designed to intimidate and degrade on the basis of race, religion or language and exacerbate existing fault lines. Considering the benefits of censorship which are legion, the practice of censorship especially in a diverse, multiracial country like Singapore, is without a doubt vital. 

            Furthermore, many individuals and corporations remain insensitive and even abusive of its use of mass and social media and have yet to reach a level of responsibility. This only undermines the reliability of mass media and calls for censorship laws to govern and regulate the media, so that it reports what is accurate and objective. With the rise in profit-making corporates running our media such as ‘The Sun’ and ‘The Daily Star’, sensationalism increasingly pervades our print media. The incessant exaggeration of reports not only clouds the judgement of the readers but also trivializes many important news. it should be acknowledged that mainstream media does also tend towards sensationalism and ‘excessive coverage’ in order to sustain their viewership. For instance, following the release of a report on carcinogenic processed meat by the World Health Organization, mainstream media coverage of the report and its contents were overblown and often distorted the findings of the report. Even the Straits Times is guilty of sensationalizing reports of crime. This is presumably because mainstream media sources, especially those which use online mediums, tend to sensationalize important news to get ‘clicks and likes’, which in turn drives up their advertisement revenue. The lack of journalistic integrity points to the need for some type of control over the information which is presented to the public, to prevent the false propagation of information, especially for news media as people ought to feel reassured that they need accurate news. 

            On a final note, despite the slew of problems that censorship brings about and its diminishing necessity in society, the exercise of censorship is essential and well-founded. However, with the increasing dominance of new media, it has become increasingly difficult to monitor everything. Hopefully with education and the cooperation of the public to utilize the internet responsibly, we can ensure that we do not end up like the dystopian society presented in ‘Fahrenheit 451’ where the free flow of information wreaks havoc.