Media law and Ethics

Assignment
Submitted to
Prof. Aroona Nafday

By, Chandini Konchada- FSC-2

Q) Is freedom of speech and expression in 21st century in the internet age is really free?
What are the threats being faced in the social media?

A) Freedom of speech and expression differs in different platforms.

Free speech and social media fit together:
There are a number of different roles in social media.
User-Generated Content
One of the hallmarks of social networks is user-generated content. Many organizations
encourage users of their online community, Facebook page or Twitter account to engage and
communicate freely.
However, it is imperative to have clear rules. The relationship between the user and the
organization is fluid and thus gives the organization a wider range of options.
User-generated content can be as widely or narrowly restricted as the organization sees fit.
Unless there are instances where speech is proscribed by law (i.e., defamation, copyright), an
individual or organization is free to set whatever guidelines for user-generated content that fit.
For example, there is often a lot of discussion with regard to a company deleting what they
believe to be inappropriate user-generated content on social platforms. The user (and often other
users) becomes incensed or outraged when his or her content is deleted. Legally, the organization
is likely on very solid ground to delete content. That does not mean, though, there wont be
backlash with regard to the ethics of doing so.
Additionally, it is both necessary and required to moderate content that would be considered
defamatory or infringing on another persons rights (e.g., copyright or trademark).
Employee-Generated Content
People who work for an organization have two rolesone of employee and one of private
individual. Regulating what an employee does within the purview of his or her job is handled by
employment laws. However, as online time has became more interwoven into millions of
peoples daily lives, the line between work and private lives has begun to blur.
What used to be private conversations are often now very public. Regardless of what level of
security one may set, amassing followers or friends or readers starts to erode the argument that
posts are indeed private conversations. Although there is no set number, we have to ask ourselves
at what point our social profile goes from a private conversation to one that is open for the world
to see.
When employees act as private individuals and not as representatives of the company, its
difficult for companies to prohibit their speech or expression. Does it happen? All the time!
Weve all heard stories of people fired for doing things on their personal time. Tell the boss
youre sick and then post a picture or video on a social site of you at the ballgame? Be prepared
to face the consequences. Should employers have the right to use something from your private
page?

Recently, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has taken on several cases where
employees were fired based on status updates to Facebook or information posted on their
personal blogs outside of work. While the NLRB has gotten involved with recent clashes with
speech and social media when it comes to employment, there is no clear-cut set of rules as to
what an employee can say about his or her work environment on Facebook (or on any other
social network, for that matter).
Protecting Intellectual Property
While copyright fair use and how it applies to online images, its important to understand that
online content and copyright are intricately woven together will keep us ahead of the game. And
although it does not carry with it the same frequency, trademark infringement can be a concern
as well.
Ensuring that content posted to a social network owned or managed by us, the company or the
client does not infringe someones rights is not an easy task. Because of the harsh consequences,
which include taking down a site or page, its imperative that we use high-quality social
monitoring tools.
Conclusion
Social engagement and community-building are important to growing a business. While the goal
is to get users, customers and community members talking, not all speech is created equal. Its
not easy to give a bright-line list of what is or is not protected speech when it comes to social
media. Online speech and expression are highly interwoven in contexts that may involve other
areas of law limiting our rights to silence detractors. Overall, though, censorship in corporate
social media is not only alive and well, it is often a necessity.
There is no doubt the freedom of expression is one of the most important rights, as it is a
main characteristic of humans personality. This means that the personality is offended, when this
right is restricted. The freedom of expression is significant for another reason. It is linked to the
democratic regime, where anyone can express their thoughts freely. Open exchange of opinions
is necessary for any democratic procedure and good governance.
According to article10:
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to
hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public
authority and regardless of frontiers.
Internet has been used by more and more people all over the world. The Internet is is a
worldwide collection of computer networks, which cooperate with one another to exchange data
using a common software standard. Telephone wires and satellite links are necessary, in order
that the users can share information
Speech and expression at different channels of the internet:
Blogging Bloggers are the innovative, open minded and critical social media users of our
society. They reveal their interests, thoughts and experiences by publishing them online. Some of

these are very popular and able to monetize their published content, others are just blogging as a
hobby. The most concerned part is about the authenticity of bloggers, because monetizing blogs
can lead to manipulation and spreading information in other interests. The most important fact is
that their freedom of speech is not threatened.
Shitstorms The internet is changing fast and billions of users are able to share their
opinions through various channels. By commenting on some blogs or articles, every user of the
internet may share his or her opinion. This often implies an invitation for criticism, which does
not favor published content of others, to the contrary, they start or support a so-called shitstorm.
A shitstorm is more than just a vivid discussion, it often tends to be abusive, even bullying and
can spread digitally very fast, reaching a great amount of users via blogs, social media, email,
etc.. Therefore, we shouldnt worry about negative reactions and to respect the freedom of
speech for everybody.
Freedom of speech ends and threats abound: Violence against women online:
Women often face harassment online, ranging from insults to threats of rape or physical
violence.
Internet has transformed the world, yet anonymity online can foster various forms
of violence. What are the dangers and risks that especially women are exposed to?
Violence against women did not start on the internet; it is just a new platform on which
violence against women often becomes an ever bigger problem. The virtual world is an
expression of a society in which there is a lot of violence against women. Women, especially
those who are very active on the internet, may be threatened, stalked or harassed and this can go
all the way to real physical violence.
Often there is a criminal law framework which is supposed to prevent this, but not
enough steps have been taken yet to adapt it to the digital age. Police and judicial authorities
have to be trained better and cooperate more closely on a European level, because the internet
simply functions on a cross-border level. Also, it is important that the European Commission
supports networks that combat such forms of violence. The internet can also be used as a means
to counter violence against women.
"Gender equality and empowering women should be focused in the digital age
Where is the line between freedom of speech and harassment?
Freedom of speech, especially when it concerns expression on the internet, is the absolute
foundation of our societal discourse, nonetheless freedom of speech naturally ends where threats
abound. It is not freedom of expression to consciously intimidate people on Facebook and
Twitter, especially women, insult them, and express the wish to rape them or to threaten physical
harm.
The online speech should be free and should be protected at any cost. It is significant,
because anyone can express their voices through the Internet. Furthermore, people have become
more active and informed; as a result they can react for any misjudgment, abuse of power from
the authorities. Furthermore, they have the ability to be organized in order to support their

opinions or people who are illegally punished. The web users are mature enough to distinguish
the online mistakes and illegal methods.
Consequently, the freedom of expression in the cyberspace needs more protection. In the
future the Internet will be developing, as more and more and a great amount of people across the
world will use it. The issues such as the protection of online speech will be still interesting for all
societies. Undoubtedly, more and more theoretical issues and cases about this topic will be
emerged. Therefore, new trends may be created. All of us should pay our attention in order to
protect significant rights such as the freedom of expression in the Internet. The solutions of such
issues which are related to rights may lead to improve the humans life and culture.