The controversy over freedom of speech divides society into two parts: proponents defending it, against those who believe we should be censored. Speaking freely is a way of ensuring that we keep an open mind, but it could also be used to manipulate information. I believe it is a value that is worth protecting.
For years, people have been fighting for their right to think or believe in what they want without being monitored. Freedom of speech, is important to preserve this. Indeed, in most dictatorships one can not speak their mind openly. For instance, a well know example is the case of North Korea. Media platforms here are illegal, and only one political view is shared. Koreans have to refrain from talking freely, or, they will face emprisonment. As a result, manipulating masses is easy.
If censorship can appear as a mean for manipulation, the opposite can also be true. In fact, being allowed to speak freely means that one can spread false information, as much as they want. As an example, during political elections, private news channels can prevent the audience from voting for a specific candidate by spreading rumors. Futhermore, without laws, anyone could say anything they wanted to, even if it would be offensive to a community. Therefore, it is crucial to remain conscious that freedom of speech be used as a weapon, as well as a shield against wrong intentions. I believe it is important to protect it as long as we stay reasonable.
In conclusion, we need to protect the right to speak freely, it is a value that is often jeopardize in dictatorhips. It should not mean though, that anyone should be able to tell everything they want, as we need to create policies to ensure that no one has to suffer from any form of discrimination or manipulation.