The Importance of Distinguishing Hate Speech vs. Free Speech

Max Semenczuk

ms498517@ohio.edu

The line that rides between free speech and hate speech is often a blurred, gray one.

What some people see as free, can often be malicious in intent, or can mislead or misinform people that would otherwise not be. 

Recently with the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been contested debate regarding the usage of masks in everyday life. The COVID-19 has disproportionately affected BIPOC communities in the United States, so when articles or popular media arises that defends the belief that masks are a detriment to society, they often carry a component of hate speech and prejudice that is masked with the facade of free speech. 

Often times people with true malicious intent will disguise their agenda by saying what they are preaching is free speech, or they often cloud it with a seemingly non-sequitur political issue, as has been so persistent in the case against wearing masks. There has always been a, issue of racial discrimination in health care, so to attack public health, would attack health care and then attack communities that are disproportionately suffering from overall poor public health practices.

The notion that hateful or spiteful speech is free is detrimental to communities that have a difficult time with overcoming harmful rhetoric. Furthermore, the idea that hate speech is free speech also hurts journalistic organizations that value truth and fairness in their reporting, as they are now would be the same playing field as organizations with malicious intent. If groups were to suddenly arise with little factual basis for their fringe ideas, it would be the best for the population to have journalistic integrity to dispel any groups with radical and uninformed ideas, so to do so, we as journalists need to strive to create a news environment that prioritizes facts over fiction or belief.

Picture source: Fortune.com

The implication of this effect stems far beyond the example I gave with the current mask debate. Whenever there is a convenient topic that could be used to mask an underlying agenda, or even if there isn't one, then the test of free speech vs. hate speech will be one taken by many, unfortunately.

Hopefully going forward, news organizations will not even spend time highlighting those that are trying to put down others, but instead focusing on the facts that we have. It is imperative moving forward to create a fine line that distinguishes hate speech and free speech. I believe that the most important step into making this a reality will be emphasizing facts back into reporting.