The Impact Of Social Media On Freedom Of Expression And Privacy Rights
- IJLLR Journal
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 17
Tanya Giri, Amity University Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Dr. Jyotsna Singh, Amity Law School, Amity University Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
ABSTRACT
Despite the clear differences that can be seen between free speech and privacy rights, “social media platforms have proven to be a double-edged sword for constitutional rights”, significantly impacting the balance between freedom of expression and the right to privacy. Nonetheless, the emergence social media platforms has changed the way individuals communicate with one another and express their opinions and thoughts freely online.
This paper examines the nuances of freedom of expression and privacy rights in the context of social media platforms, furthermore, the complexities arising from the correlation of “right to freedom and the right to privacy” in the lived of it’s daily users.
These web-based technologies have a profound potential to “facilitate communication, improve the dissemination of information and help other news organizations to reach out to and interact with their audiences. Simultaneously, social media platforms can be a breeding ground for cyber bullying and harassment, which can have negative consequences for individuals and society at large”. Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are constitutional rights, often seen and interpreted as intertwined. However, balancing these rights can be challenging particularly in situations where information of public interest and where public figures are involved. Issues such as digital surveillance, data gathering, and the risk of spread of misinformation can pose risks to both the human rights and can lead to significant implications for individual freedoms. This study seeks to examine the challenges of balancing both the constitutional rights, furthermore, the need to prevent and combat the consistent use of hate speech, spread of misinformation, and other harmful content while encouraging users to express themselves without a consistent fear of censorship. Furthermore, this paper dives into the implications of both the favourable and unfavourable aspects of social media in having a huge role in shaping our lives, freedom of expressions and privacy rights.
Keywords: Free speech and expression, Constitutional rights, Cyber laws, Article 19, Data protection, Right to Privacy.
