Originally Posted by
OrphanPip
You'd have to define what "true" freedom of speech is, or else you end up with a no true Scotsman situation.
Institutional freedom of speech, as far as I see it, should be the freedom of media, or individual citizens, to speak openly without fear of punishment by the state. The fair limits are clear variations of shouting fire in a crowded movie theatre and deliberate libel or slander. To this we might extend certain hate speech laws which protect groups from instigated violence, of course the line between certain kinds of hate speech and political speech is not always clear.
If one defines free speech as the right to say nonsense without the fear of being socially ostracised (which is often what many people who call free speech mean when they feel persecuted for their opinion), well that's silly.