As Rhode (2019) explains, “‘freedom of speech’ refers to the right of individuals to freely express themselves, without fear of government restrictions,” (n.p.). The prevalence of social media in our day to day lives has exacerbated issues surrounding fake news and freedom of speech. Mcnair (2018) states the seriousness of the fake news debate stating that “fake news is not merely a cultural issue in isolation, but one which arises from and contributes to broader political and social trends in twenty-first-century societies,” (p.x, foreword). 

In the subconscious race to keep up with our peers online, it is easy to see a link to an article with a shocking headline and share it in seconds, allowing it to spread across social media like wildfire, without taking the time to evaluate the source or even read the article. 

Similarly, everyone can now share their opinions not only with the people they know in real life, but also with potentially thousands or millions of strangers online. Perhaps, we as a society, need to take a moment to consider the posts we see. Is the post based on truths or simply a ploy to gain clicks? How might what we are posting affect others and who may be hurt by reading our words?

Bibliography & References:

Image: Negative Space (2016) Gray Laptop Computer Near Journals. [Online Image] Available from:<https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-laptop-computer-near-journals-177557/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels>%5BAccessed 8 March 2020].

McNair, B. (2018) Fake news : falsehood, fabrication and fantasy in journalism. London:Routledge. Available from:<http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat00621a&AN=leeds.723406&site=eds-live&scope=site&gt; [Accessed: 19 February 2020].

Myers, T and Trevathan, J. (2012) Anti-Social Networking? World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 72, pp. 82-90.

Rohde, S. F. (2019) ‘Freedom of speech and press’, Salem Press Encyclopedia. Available from:< http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=95522696&site=eds-live&scope=site&gt; [Accessed: 28 May 2020].