GROUP 9.

DEMOCRATIC INTERNET

GROUP 9: DEMOCRATIC INTERNET

A. GENERAL INFORMATION AND OUTLINE

I. General information

- Members:

La Thi Thanh Lan – KDQT49B10249

Hoang Thanh Thao – KDQT49B10327

Nguyen Thi Trang – KDQT49B10345

- Topic: FREEDOM OF SPEECH ON THE INTERNET

II. Outline

1.1. Introduction

- 3 members’ self-introduction.

- “Guess the picture” part: the group shows a slide of a picture and asks the
audience about the topic, calls one person to answer.

1.2. Online freedom of speech’s current situation (Thanh Lan)

1.2.1. Definition of freedom of speech, online freedom of speech

1.2.2. Why does freedom of speech develop on the internet?

1.2.3. People’s perspectives and legal’s frameworks

1.3. Positive and negative impacts of online freedom of speech (Thanh Thao)

1.3.1. Positive impacts

- Promotes democracy

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- Encourages creativity and innovation & fosters personal development

- Promotes healthy discussions

1.3.2. Negative impacts

- Hate speech

- Potential for misinformation

- Emotional harm

1.4. How to balance censorship and freedom of speech? (Nguyen Trang)

1.4.1. The role of governments

1.4.2. The role of agencies and individuals

1.4.3. Responsibilities of online platforms and technology companies

1.5. Conclusion + Q&A (3 members)

B. SCRIPTION
1. Online freedom of speech’s current situation
1.1. What is freedom of speech, and what is online freedom of speech?
Freedom of speech is a primary human right, a principle that supports our freedom
to articulate opinions and ideas without the fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal
sanction. It protects all forms of communication, from speech, to text, to art, and is
a constitutional law of liberal societies. Freedom of speech includes having access
to information to prevent censorship, and limits state control over what we should
and shouldn’t know and say. It means freedom to express an opinion regardless of
whether the opinion is justified or unfounded, emotional or rational, valuable or
not. And it means you are allowed to remain silent and say nothing at all. But

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freedom of speech has its limitations, it doesn’t mean we can state something as a
fact if it can be proven wrong by objective standards.

Online freedom of speech is freedom of speech on the internet via social media
platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, blogs, pages, forums, etc.
Sometimes, we suppose that the internet is an open space, so we have the right to
say anything we want online. The truth is that there are limits to what we can post,
especially when it hurts other people’s rights. For example, during the COVID-19
pandemic, there were citizens in some countries who shared unofficial posts about
the number of infected cases, which led to disorientation and confusion throughout
the globe. Those individuals who shared and spread fake news then were
summoned and fined by the authorities and the host countries.

1.2. Why does freedom of speech develop on the Internet?

In the modern world, the Internet is prevalent, and anyone can have a smartphone
or a laptop to access various social media platforms. In case you want to preserve
your anonymity, everything you should do is to create a clone account or to post
and comment in anonymous mode. To be honest, our modern society dignifies
democracy, or, in other words, the human freedom to talk and share opinions.
Coincidentally, it costs nothing for many people to leave comments or to share
opinions about any problem, as long as they’re not illegal.

1.3. People’s perspectives and legal frameworks

Online freedom of speech is a human right. However, some other people abuse this
right to commit reactionary acts or to do harm to society, which raises the question
of whether it is freedom of speech or offensive comments. Therefore, many

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countries in the world issue laws to avoid the abuse of freedom of speech,
especially in the era of digital technology.

Example: Vietnam’s legal system: prohibited acts:

- Acts of using cyberspace, information technology, and electronic means to violate
laws on national security, social order, and safety.
- Distorting history and denying revolutionary achievements, sabotaging the great
national unity, insulting religion, and discriminating against gender and racism.
- Posting false information causes confusion among the people and damage to
socio-economic operations, causing difficulties for the operations of state agencies
or people performing public duties, and infringing on the legitimate rights and
interests of other agencies, organizations, and individuals.

2. Positive and negative impacts

2.1. Positive:
Promotes democracy: It allows for open debate and discussion, which is essential
for a healthy democracy.
 Free speech is a cornerstone of a free society. Key to our nation’s founding
principles is the belief that every man and woman holds the claim to free speech.
Freedom of expression is the best defense against injustice.
 It is crucial to democracy. It means that everyone can take part in political
discussions and has the right to express their opinions.
 The principles of free speech while fostering a culture of civility and respect
are essential for maintaining a healthy democratic society, thus promoting a more
inclusive society.

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Encourages creativity and innovation & fosters personal development: It

fosters an environment where new ideas can be freely expressed and explored.
 When individuals feel empowered to share their thoughts and perspectives
without fear of censorship or reprisal, it opens the door to a diverse range of ideas
and viewpoints. This unrestricted flow of creativity leads to the birth of
groundbreaking innovations, as people are encouraged to think outside the box,
challenge conventional wisdom, and experiment with new concepts.
 Freedom and creativity are inseparable partners.
 People are free to express themselves, and free speech on social media gives
individuals the opportunity to collaborate with others. This can lead to the
development of new products, services, and so on. In fact, many successful startups
have emerged because of faster access to information.
Social media free speech promotes healthy discussions.
- When people are free to express their thoughts, it also helps them learn from
one another and understand different perspectives
- When we are open to hearing different opinions, it helps us become more
accepting of others. It allows us to engage in constructive debates and understand
different viewpoints. Most of all, promoting free speech on social media creates an
inclusive online community.
For instance, Government Information Page: a website that provides rapid updates
on various aspects of the country's economy, society, and security, while also
allowing citizens to express their opinions and thoughts on these issues.
2.2. Negative:
Hate speech: It can be used to spread hate, discrimination, and prejudice.
- Hate speech that offends or attacks people based on their identity or
characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, disability, or disease.
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- While freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy, hate speech can

blur the lines between free speech and harmful speech. Hate speech can intimidate
individuals or groups, discouraging them from participating in public discourse.
They rely on equality and democracy online to say offensive, insulting, and violent
words against others.

Potential for misinformation: It can lead to the spread of false or misleading

information.
- “Fake news” as a phenomenon spans the globe and dates back centuries. The
rise of social media and online platforms has democratized the ability to share
information, but it has also made it easier for misinformation to spread rapidly to a
wide audience.
- People spread misinformation online, which can manipulate and misdirect
public opinion. This situation is causing information chaos and seriously affecting
the safety and well-being of citizens. Alongside this, high-tech cybercriminals
continue to flourish among internet users with increasingly sophisticated tactics.
- Freedom of speech on the internet is one of the vulnerabilities exploited by
hostile forces to undermine the state by spreading misinformation that tarnishes the
reputation of the Party and the government, causing confusion and anxiety among
the people.
→ Threat to national security: It may be used to incite violence or pose a threat
to national security.
Emotional harm: It can cause emotional harm to individuals or groups through
derogatory or hurtful language.
- On social media platforms, where communication is immediate and widespread,
the potential for emotional harm through speech is significant.
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- Words have immense power and can deeply affect individuals' emotions, mental
well-being.
- This harm can take various forms, including cyberbullying, harassment, hate
speech, and the spread of misinformation or harmful ideologies. These can have
profound effects on individuals' mental health and well-being, contributing to
anxiety, depression, and even suicide in extreme cases.
- case: A TikTok account named "Chưa biết" disclosing personal information and
exposing truths about TikTokers and celebrities can lead to various issues,
especially when it involves their privacy without their consent. Even if the
accuracy of this information is uncertain, it may have led public opinion astray and
negatively impacted the image of others. Revealing the private affairs of others can
damage their dignity and reputation.
→ That’s all I want to say about free speech, coming with both pros and cons. It's
important to remember that with freedom comes responsibility. We should use our
words wisely. And next, Trang will present some solutions to this phenomenon.

3. How to balance censorship and freedom of speech?

 Protecting the Freedom of Speech on the Internet
 Preventing abuse of freedom of speech in cyberspace
3.1. The role of governments
 Governments have to take an active and direct role in content moderation
online. They have different ways in which they can exert pressure on platforms to
restrict more content in their jurisdiction.
 Governments should have a broad prohibition on disinformation, which
includes distorting history, denying revolutionary achievements, destroying the
national solidarity block, and providing false information, causing confusion
amongst the citizens.
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 The government needs to invest adequately in agencies responsible for

ensuring national cyber security, recruit and train a team of good experts in
information technology, capable of effectively implementing technical and
professional measures
 Examples: Looking at the law enforcement practices of many countries
around the world, we can see that there is no such thing as absolute freedom of
speech.
 In the United States, the limits of freedom of speech are mainly expressed
through the United States Supreme Court, which allows the government to prevent
and punish obscene, offensive, and aggressive speech.
 In Vietnam: In April 2020, Facebook announced that it had agreed to
“significantly increase” compliance with requests from the Vietnamese government
to censor “anti-state” content in Vietnam.
3.2. The role of agencies and individuals
 Agencies: Schools and companies need to educate and propagate for
employees and students to understand and properly implement the right to freedom
of speech.
 Individuals have self-awareness about the right to freedom of expression that
is not absolute. Every citizen is responsible for the exercise of this right, meaning
careless comments and unguarded remarks can land you in trouble if you do not
use your rights responsibly. Each of us receives a large amount of information
every day through the media, so we need to access information selectively.
3.3. Responsibilities of online platforms and technology companies
This negative impact underscores the responsibility of both social media platforms
and their users. Platforms like Facebook, Tik Tok or Instagram as custodians of
public discourse, must implement measures to ensure that shared content is
accurate and does not incite hate. Moderation policies should be stringent to hold
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users accountable for misinformation and malicious framing, all while respecting
the principle of freedom of speech.
Business managers need to develop modern technology to identify and remove
risky content that can help minimize the risk of using free speech.
4. Conclusion
Wrapping up with 3 multiple-choice questions:
No.1: According to the presentation, which isn’t mentioned as being protected by
freedom of speech?
No.2: What is one of three negative impacts of online freedom of speech as Thanh
Thao mentioned?
No.3: How many solutions are there for the government that we have suggested?