Freedom of expression protects everyone’s right to seek out information, form their own opinions, and share ideas freely through conversation, social media, books, radio, TV, and all other media. It’s so important, it’s listed as a human right in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. What does freedom of expression look like? In this article, we’ll explore what freedom of expression is, provide five examples, and discuss why and when freedom of expression can be limited.
What is the definition of freedom of expression?
Freedom of expression is the right to pursue, hold, and share information, ideas, and opinions. Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights describes it this way:
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
That includes information, ideas, and opinions that others may find offensive. Because freedom of expression is a human right, everyone is entitled to free expression. As the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights describes, human rights are established “without distinction of any kind,” meaning all people – regardless of race, color, sex, language, religion, politics, nationality, or another status – are entitled to human rights. Like all human rights, freedom of expression is universal, indivisible, and interdependent on other rights.
Author perspective: Freedom of expression does not equal freedom from social consequences. While Article 19 wants to protect information and ideas from state censorship, it doesn’t protect people from the reactions of others. It’s not a human rights violation when an opinion upsets a person’s friends, family, private businesses, or other non-state entities. Actions, including speech, always have consequences.
What are five examples of the right to freedom of expression?
Freedom of expression is often assumed to mean sharing your opinion out loud, but its scope applies to communications like writing and reading, too. As the world becomes more connected thanks to technology, the right to freely express information, thoughts, and ideas has evolved. Here are five examples of freedom of expression in action:
#1. Criticizing the government
Criticizing government policies, actions, and politicians is one of the most vital uses of freedom of expression. In a world where human rights are respected, everyone should have the ability to share information and their opinions on the systems and laws that govern their lives. Unfortunately, many governments violate Article 19 when criticized. They use vague laws to justify their actions. For example, in 2022, Tunisia passed a cybercrime law that human rights advocates warned could be used to punish the president’s critics. That’s exactly what happened in 2023 and 2023 when at least 40 journalists, lawyers, and advocates were charged with disseminating “fake news,” which was in fact criticism of the government. In May, two journalists received year-long prison sentences. The Tunisian president has also faced outrage for suspending parliament and changing the constitution, showing the link between violations of freedom of expression and other rights.
#2. Posting on social media
Social media platforms are fairly new in humanity’s history, but people have the same right to freedom of expression as they do through older forms of media. While private social media companies can establish terms of service, governments and state actors should not punish people for the information, ideas, opinions, thoughts, or art they share on platforms. In many countries, governments are not respecting freedom of expression on social media. In 2020, an Egyptian court fined and sentenced five young female social media influencers to two years in prison for “indecent videos” they posted on TikTok, a video app. This reflects a trend in Egypt where the charge of “inciting debauchery” frequently targets women who challenge the government’s views on morality. The advocacy group Amnesty International believes Egypt goes after social media influencers for how they dress, talk, and dance, which violates the right to free expression.
#3. Protesting in public
Public protests and nonviolent assembly are forms of free expression. It doesn’t matter if there’s just one person or a million people; everyone has the right to share opinions, express grievances, and raise awareness of their cause. In the United States, the First Amendment protects the right to protest, which the ACLU says is “crucial to a functioning democracy.” The US has a long history of public protest, but the rights of protesters are frequently threatened. In 2023 and 2024, students held protests against Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza across college campuses, including Columbia University. Article 19, an international human rights organization, summarizes what happened next. The university suspended pro-Palestinian organizations, allowed police to assault and arrest peaceful protestors, and evicted students with due process. Free expression advocates and other experts worry that these unnecessarily harsh actions threaten freedom of expression at colleges.
#4. Reading books, including ones that may be offensive
Did you know reading a book is a form of free expression? As Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights explains, freedom of expression includes the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas…in writing or in print.” When reading a book, you seek and receive information and ideas. When governments censor what you can read, it’s threatening your right to free expression. According to the National Coalition Against Censorship, many American prisons have strict and unreasonable rules on what books their inmates can access. As the NCAC’s blog describes, bans on sexual content and nudity mean books like The Color Purple and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are banned, while books with figure drawings, classical art, and even human anatomy are also not allowed. While some rules are necessary for safety, broad book bans violate incarcerated peoples’ right to free expression.
#5. Listening to the radio and watching TV
Radio and TV have existed for a long time, and sharing freely through these media forms falls within freedom of expression. Radio, especially traditional radio, remains one of the world’s most important forms of communication. According to Statista, radio listeners are expected to top 3.2 billion by 2029. Thanks to radio and TV, people can follow the news, hear expert analysis, get exposed to new ideas and art, and much more. Authoritarian governments know that radio and TV-facilitated free expression threatens their control. In North Korea, only one media news source is allowed: The Korean Central News Agency. Independent journalism is prohibited. According to a 2011 BBC article, TV sets and radio are even pre-tuned and must be registered with the police. Authoritarian governments like North Korea understand the power of radio and TV, and by restricting free expression, they hope to squash new ideas that lead to rebellion.
Are there limitations on freedom of expression?
Does freedom of expression protect everyone’s right to say whatever they want all the time? Are any ideas or opinions too offensive or too dangerous to share? Freedom of expression can be limited, meaning not every restriction is a human rights violation. Article 19 of the International Covenant lays out the situations in which governments can restrict free expression:
It [free expression] may therefore be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
(a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others;
(b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals.
For example, Article 19 does not protect a person’s right to defame another person. Defamation is false information that hurts someone’s reputation. According to Cornell Law School’s definition, it includes libel (written statements) and slander (spoken statements). Proving defamation is very difficult, especially in countries like the United States that tend to prioritize the right to free speech. To win in court, a person must prove that the false statement was presented as fact, that the statement was published or communicated to a third party, that the entity sharing the statement was at least negligent, and that the statement caused harm.
To avoid violating human rights, governments must meet a high bar when restricting expression, but they must also be able to limit hateful and inciteful speech, which is why Article 19 provides some wiggle room. As we’ve described in our examples, however, governments frequently violate free expression for other agendas. Peaceful assembly, criticism of the government, and other protected forms of free expression are often relabeled as threats to security, order, and public health. These do not represent reasonable restrictions and should be called out for what they are: violations of human rights.
Further resources on freedom of expression
Interested in learning more about freedom of expression? Here are five resources:
- Speaking Out for Freedom of Expression Amnesty International course (20 minutes)
- Freedom of Expression – A Fundamental Right Amnesty International course (10 hours)
- Hate Speech Explained: Where Does It Start? (2022) Video from UN Story (About 6 minutes)
- Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All (2020) Book by Suzanne Nossel
- The Free Speech Century (2018) Book edited by Lee C. Bollinger and Geoffrey R. Stone
