Does Censorship Violate Freedom of Speech (Essay Sample)

Does Censorship Violate Freedom of Speech?
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Does Censorship Violate Freedom of Speech?
Censorship is suppressing information that is deemed objectionable. When people cannot express their thoughts without consequences, censorship does affect their freedom. On the other hand, if this freedom only applies to information that is not harmful or offensive, then censorship may not lead to disruption. It depends on how people view and value their independence.
There are a few cases where censorship can infringe the rights of people to communicate freely. In countries where free speech is not allowed, the government can censor certain information or ideas they deem harmful or offensive. They often achieve this through the implementation of laws and regulations. Additionally, editing specific types of media can also disrupt communication. For example, the government can censor movies or books they believe to be pornographic or violent. According to Mathiesen (2019), censorship can occur when people try to silence others through intimidation or threats (p. 17). For example, a person might threaten to report someone's speech to the authorities if they disagree with it. This type of censorship is called "mob rule."
Censorship can prevent individuals from expressing themselves freely. It can take many forms, such as banning words or phrases, restricting access to information, or censoring types of art. Censorship can also take the form of self-censorship, in which individuals refrain from expressing themselves freely because they fear repercussions from authorities or other members of society. Censorship can negatively impact free speech because it limits the ability of individuals to exchange ideas and express their views freely. According to Serna and Iniesta (2018), this is achieved through "detaining bloggers and common users for disseminating information contrary to the views of the government" (p. 10). It violates the freedom of expressio