The Question – Freedom of responsibility of free speech

Freedom to say, believe, argue without fear of being persecuted or insulted for what we say is a key part of our values. It’s a privilege we need to remember we are lucky to have, but it also a responsibility which we can lose if we are not questioning.

In my view, a good society is based on freedom of expression, religion, speech and political beliefs. Most of the western world has it in law, but in many countries, you can face persecution for saying the wrong thing. We need always to have a balance between the two, but how do you find that balance.

I believe that the 2016 referendum has unlocked lots of things we have thought for decades where resolved, like racism, homophobia and division. The public is increasingly disinterested I believe in logical facts and I believe one of the negative things about the internet is that if you look long and hard enough you can find things to back up your beliefs.

That places greater pressure on just not politicians and the media, but everyone to be cautious when reading, researching and sharing as we need to fact check ourselves. A golden rule of journalism is three sources, and I always go to media I can trust.

The job of all of us is to hold the people in positions of power to account, whether that be a government, business or movement leader. We need to stand up to these groups who fuel hate.

I believe the best way of pushing back against these messages of hate, is by challenging them with personal experiences, other points of view or the facts. Engage respectfully, and be prepared to be challenged back, the best way is to not get angry or post offensive responses, but also know when to walk away.

We know the power of freedom of speech, it’s there not to let us say anything but to challenge each other, spread a message and believes in ourselves. Our politics has played a role in the ever-growing divide we see in our society.

We live in a democracy, where our freedom of expression is in law, but we need to remember that there is a limit. We cannot make up anything which is false about someone and damages their reputation, without hard evidence.

Twisting the facts is part of our jobs, but we need to be careful about how far we turn them. I believe you should use other facts and counter views to challenge them. You must do that without dismissing the truth and getting in an argument, as that undermines your view and opinion becomes less valid.

We need respect, one of the bad things about the internet and social media is accountability. It’s almost impossible to check who is behind the unverified accounts, but you have to check whether what they are saying is true.

You need to be able to debate well and passionately to deliver your points, being able to disagree well I think is good for democracy. Debates need to be healthy, without turning into arguing with each other.

I believe that when we write anything online it’s in the public domain, that it’s out there regardless of your privacy settings.

We forget on a day by day basis these platforms are public, and what we say and post on them is in the domain. The comments you post and share on social media is saying it in the street, would you call someone a Nazi in the street? Would you call Muslim women terrorists? I doubt you would.

When we are aboard, we need to remember that not every country has freedom of speech, and that what we say could get us into trouble. So when in public you may find yourself being more careful. We must however not let it compromise our beliefs.

I wouldn’t go to places like Saudi Arabia or Ghana, because of the way they treat people like myself. I feel I wouldn’t be able to be myself; I am not an out-there gay, but I feel I wouldn’t be able to be myself.

The right of freedom is given to everyone, but if you abuse your freedom it can be taken away. I don’t think that these people who spread hate can complain if they get banned from social media, they have broken rules and spread hate.

If you are using social media to spread hate or fake news you should face some sanctions from the platform. I also think that it is important that organisations/public figures use these platforms for good, spread the good work they/you are doing.

Free speech, both on and offline, should be used to stand up against hate, things which aren’t working and our right to live in a free country.

As a writer/journalist, you are more aware of what you can and can’t say, as a political campaigner I try to challenge my opponents with facts. I don’t believe that shouting when debating is undermining your argument.

If we’re holding them to the same standards as journalists, they would face a lot more challenging to the campaign. When campaigning I always try to follow the principal’s I was taught studying back up your reporting/arguments with three sources and your own research.

But, if you make a mistake you should own the mistake, do not try and twist your words as it could come back to hurt you in the future. You should not lie, always try to be honest if you make a mistake.

DO use your free speech for good!