Asif Mohiuddin, Niloy Chatterjee, and Raif Badawi are just some of the bloggers who’ve been attacked, murdered, tortured or imprisoned over the last five years. What was their crime?
Speaking openly about certain issues such as: LGBTAQ+ equality, human rights and questioning religion. The cases of just these three individuals have sparked tremendous outcry and protests worldwide, and brought the question of freedom of speech to the spotlight. In school we were all taught what aspects do not constitute as freedom of speech, which is argued to be anything that can be deemed insulting, discriminatory or of such nature. Yet at the time we never considered the subjective nature of writing, and how commenting and speaking on any issue can spark a dispute or controversy. We also never factored in the views and standards that other countries hold, and how individuals there may interpret and handle such. As a blogger and writer I find these issues troubling. How censored does our freedom of writing need to be? If that is the case, however, is it even free speech? Though we live in one country, should we also consider the views and opinions of those globally?
When I was starting my blog with my partner, we never considered how our information could be misinterpreted globally. Our mission was always to demonstrate equality and respect for all people. Yet we never realized that there may be individuals who could feel so strongly against this. We do not mean to offend anyone through our writing, but as writers we have learned that we cannot control that. Due to writing being a subjective art form, everyone will have their own response and opinion to any issue or topic. We cannot control how people will perceive our information. This can be a scary concept to grasp. However, there are many benefits to writing online. Through our blog we have been able to bring awareness to certain issues and topics, and help inspire people to make changes in their lives. That, for us, is the most fulfilling aspect of our jobs. It is very scary to note that there are people who go through such consequences for sharing their opinions and stories.
It is ambitious for someone to share their views online, especially if they argue or write on very explicitly controversial topics. Anything we write, whether it's one word or a ten-page essay on human rights or bananas, can evoke strong emotions, and responses. Through the complex intricacy of the internet, our information can be shared globally in a heartbeat. We have no control over how our work can be perceived by others. When we write on an issue we often do not censor what we write in terms of context. We write what we feel and to convey a message. It is not very common for people to censor their work for others, making writing both a dangerous and powerful tool. This is partly why freedom of speech is a blurry concept, and will be a source of contemplation and analysis for future prospects.
