Freedom of expression is key in society. Just like freedom of speech it is every individual’s protected right. I can relate to all 8 values of free expression but the value of stable change resonates most with me. While the ability and importance of allowing people to speak their mind has been around since the ratification of the First Amendment, the growth of so many platforms of social media in recent years has created ready spaces and channels to allow for speaking and also venting that are literally at your fingertips.
Here’s a great article which mentions that the Supreme Court referred to social media as “the modern public square”. For me that was a great visual of imagining the old days when people would stand in a park or somewhere and preach and vent and crowds would form around them. People then and now want to express their viewpoint or even their anger on issues and the public square and now social media allows them to easily do that.
It’s a little different now though since nobody has to leave their home and they can have an even bigger audience while also speaking out to make themselves feel like they’re taking action. Instead of keeping opinions to themselves, by going on social media I believe people feel they are not sitting quietly and accepting something they don’t agree with. By voicing their viewpoints they are being proactive. Using their voice and speaking out has now taken a new form.
TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and other platforms are filled with people who are passionate about different causes, reacting to groups or political issues or just about anything. It is a fast and efficient way to get a message out. The discontented people are hopefully using their voice though in a way that’s consistent with the original intent of the stable change freedom and, as government hoped, will not result in any other bigger or even violent actions.
I think a great example is the recent New York City mayoral election. I’m very aware of this topic since I’m from New York City. Mayor Mamdani’s campaign before the elections was definitely helped by social media platforms and that’s where many younger voters learned of him and his positions. He definitely took advantage of this technology to reach a big audience. Once he was elected though a huge amount of people have been speaking out against him and his policies through social media channels. Communities have also formed and this is a way for the dissatisfied people to voice their opinions and find other like minded people. So the same platform that helped bring him success is now full of people venting their strong views against him and his policies.
The same article from above refers to social media platforms as classrooms and battlegrounds. I agree with that but also remember that not everything may be true. But I appreciate that people are able to express themselves especially if they’re not happy about something. I feel very lucky to live in the United States where I am protected and allowed to freely express myself and activism is allowed compared to many other countries where it is not.
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