Let's Talk: Hate Speech vs Freedom of Speech

I don't often like to talk about negative things on my blog. I like my blog to be a place that I can review fun things or talk about great experiences. But, with what has been going on online lately it's now more important than ever for me to use my voice (however little on this big wide web it may be) to speak up when I feel something needs to be addressed. 

I think we can all agree that Social Media has as many negatives as it has benefits. Benefits I see are: access to the wider world, options to share thoughts with people you may not get the opportunity to meet and a place you can share your creative work to a broader audience. There is also the negative aspects: the trolling (antagonising others online by deliberately posting offensive/disruptive comments), bullying and the blur between fiction and reality. 

One thing that has stuck out for many years in 'Cancel Culture'. I do agree that sometimes Social Media is used as a way to 'witch hunt' certain people but if we look at the core of what cancel culture is (to me) it's about holding people accountable for their actions. Now, there will always be debates on whether we should hold someone accountable for stupid things they said online as a child or whether we should accept that they may have grown and changed. However, one thing that comes up with current offenders (you could say) is 'Freedom of speech'. I hear this time and time again..."You can't stop me from having an opinion there's freedom of speech' and 'It's just what I think you can't be mad at me for thinking differently to you' of which, I do agree. Saying that, there is a great difference between shutting someone down for liking pineapple on pizza compared to people actively spouting Hate Speech.

Google's online definition for hate speech is: abusive or threatening speech or writing that expresses prejudice against a particular group, especially on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation. 

Google's online definition for freedom of speech, on the other hand, is: the power or right to express one's opinions without censorship, restraint, or legal penalty. 

So it's very clear there's a great difference between me saying 'I disliked that show I thought it was poorly written' (which is an opinion and should be respected because of freedom of speech) to then saying harmful things about a specific group of people. This could be things like harmful stereotypes to "opinions" that they don't deserve basic human rights because of who they are. That turns an opinion to hate speech.  

I don't want to name the man who prompted me to have this discussion today because I don't want to give him the platform (especially since he doesn't have one anymore because of the things he has said and done). For those of you who may be lucky enough not to know, there is a man who gained millions of followers online by stating truly dangerous misogynistic thoughts. For example, he stated that he believed woman at 18 are more attractive because they've 'been through less dick' and talks about hitting and choking women (not always in a consensual context). Now, people making sexist comments is not a new thing. Woman have been dealing with comments like 'Get in the kitchen' or 'Women shouldn't be doctors' for a long time. I'm not saying those are ok to say but they are meaningless and archaic so are easier to ignore. What is concerning is this man was making aggressive and derogatory statements which amassed such a large crowd of listeners. Going back to the definition, a lot of these comments were also abusive, threatening and prejudice so these aren't just opinions that some narrow minded person has...they're openly talking hate speech. 

I think the reason this whole situation made me angry was because this wasn't just some random small TikToker who no one knew about who you could easily report, this was a fully fledged influencer with millions of followers. After a lot of people campaigned online, this man has since lost all of his platforms (thus far I think it's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube). This is where the accountability factor of 'Cancel Culture' comes to play that I agree with. This wasn't someone who made an opinion people didn't like and got their freedom of speech taken away. This was someone who actively talked about women in a derogatory and dangerous way and amassed a following that could be convinced into thinking the same way. This will absolutely lead to more violence against women there's no "ifs" or "buts" about it. We only have to look at recent cases, like the Sarah Everard's in the UK, to know that continuing to spread aggressive ideology towards women is not to be encouraged because of the harm it can cause. 

This is why it's so important to learn the difference between Hate Speech and Freedom of Speech. This man is allowed to say he may not like women that's his choice to feel that way (to be quite honest, I doubt many women like him either) but if you're encouraging men to partake in abusive and misogynistic behaviour towards women THAT is hate speech. People should be held accountable for spreading such outdated and dangerous behaviour. I do agree over the years 'Cancel Culture' has become a beast of it's own but that doesn't mean people shouldn't be help accountable. I don't feel everyone should have the same opinion as me. In fact I've had friends that may not agree with abortion which is their opinion and right. The difference is, they choose then not to have an abortion themselves but understand if others have the right to choose what they do with their bodies. We need to continue to handle cases like this man I have mentioned and remove his ability to spread horrific ideology. And people need to get the concept that just because you have the right to an opinion and there is freedom of speech it does not mean you get a free pass for spreading hateful comments. 

I would like to have an open and polite discussion in the comments if you agree with me. Do you think there is a difference between Hate Speech and Freedom of Speech or do you see them as one in the same? Do you agree that platforms should be removed from people with potentially dangerous behaviour? Let me know.