In democratic countries such as Taiwan and the United States, freedom of speech is protected by law. Freedom of speech allows people to express their thoughts, but it comes with limits and regulations. For example, people cannot use free speech to threaten others or joke about having weapons on airplanes. Despite these restrictions, some people still push the limits of free speech, which can incite social unrest, hatred, and violence.

Here are some dangers of freedom of speech:

Spreading misinformation, conspiracy theories, and extreme ideologies

Many people with malicious intent spread false and harmful information. This misinformation spreads rapidly as people share it on social media, letting it reach a larger audience. When your social media’s algorithm detects that you are interested in such misinformation, it will fill your feed with related content, making you more certain that the misinformation is true.

Once misinformation is accepted as true, people start forming extreme ideologies based on twisted facts or by connecting unrelated ideas. These theories usually target the government or a specific political, ethnic, and religious group, blaming them for causing harm.

For example, during COVID, many fake news sources claimed that COVID was not deadly. Some went further and claimed that COVID was a hoax or vaccinations were killing people. Those who believed these conspiracy theories refused to follow government instructions, such as staying home, wearing masks, and getting vaccinations. This made COVID more deadly, as hundreds of thousands of deaths could have been prevented if more people had followed public health guidelines instead of believing widespread misinformation.

Moreover, social media platforms like PTT and Dcard, where users can post and leave messages anonymously, have amplified the harm of extreme ideologies and misinformation. For example, a post on PTT falsely claimed that 100,000 Indians workers in Taiwan had turned Taiwan into a “sexual-assault island.”

This type of misinformation increased nationalist ideologies and intensified discrimination against migrant workers. In fact, many Taiwanese refuse to have migrant Indian workers. They believe that migrant Indian workers commit more crimes and threaten women’s safety. This shows how free speech can fuel extreme ideologies that spread racism and perpetuate negative stereotypes about an ethnic group.

Spreading hate, violence, and harassment

Unfettered free speech can also spread hate and encourage violence, which endanger democratic societies both unintentionally and intentionally.

Protesting, which is a form of freedom of speech, is a way for citizens to express their opinions to governments and hold them accountable. However, many protests end in violence. For example, the Anti Citizenship Amendment Act protests in India began as peaceful marches and public speeches advocating for their beliefs. Protesters believed that the Anti Citizenship Amendment Act discriminated against Muslims. Violence escalated as Hindu mobs and government supporters attacked Muslims protesters, which led to more than 50 deaths. Despite the protest being intended to protest Muslim rights, the death and violence during the protest caused significant harm.

Sadly, people can also misuse free speech with the intent to manipulate people’s beliefs. For example, in 2019, the white supremacist terrorist Brenton Tarrant shot 51 innocent Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. Tarrant believed that white populations were being replaced by non-white immigrants, so he saw Muslims as a threat and targeted mosques to protect his white identity and encourage similar attacks worldwide. Tarrant even streamed the first attack on Facebook, hoping to inspire others to carry out similar attacks on Muslims.

These tragedies show how hate speech, expressed as free speech, can take innocent lives, fuel real world violence, and pose threats to society.

What can we do?

First, don’t leave any hateful comments online or in person. Be kind.

Next, fact-check information you read or watch. Be skeptical of everything you see online. Freedom of speech protects your right to voice your thoughts, but it doesn’t guarantee that what you hear will be accurate. Always remember to do further research before accepting what others or social media tell you.

When misused, the freedom of speech can fuel polarization and violence.

–

Freedom of speech is a basic human right. However, when exercising this right, we must ensure it serves to unite us and protect democracy and society, rather than becoming a weapon for division, inciting violence, and causing social unrest.