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Freedom of speech is not a binary thing. No country in the world has absolute freedom of speech. However most EU member states are among the most free in the wo

Freedom of speech is not a binary thing. No country in the world has absolute freedom of speech. However most EU member states are among the most free in the world (see e.g. https://rsf.org/en/ranking https://rsf.org/en/ranking).

sbov 8y ago
That list has little relevance on this subject, because if you look at their methodologies they look at a lot more than government influence. (see https://rsf.org/en/detailed-methodology https://rsf.org/en/detailed-methodology) In fact it lists the US below pretty much every European country, and the US is known to have some of the most permissive free speech laws.
- DanBC 8y ago
  > and the US is known to have some of the most permissive free speech laws. But look at all the US kids having armed police sent to their homes because they swore on Xbox live.
  - 2trill2spill 8y ago
    > But look at all the US kids having armed police sent to their homes because they swore on Xbox live. I'm assuming you have links or evidence to back those claims up. Or are you mistaking this for kids getting swatted[1], because I certainly haven't heard of kids getting in trouble with police for swearing on Xbox live and I feel like that would make national news. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting
  - hermitdev 8y ago
    It's not because of swearing, it's generally because of a grudge. Making false statements to police is not protected speech. In every instance of this happening that I'm aware of when police are able to track down the individual(s) responsible, they are prosecuted, generally to the fullest extent of the law. It's dangerous to make something like a murder/suicide threat, and it should be treated & prosecuted as such. Yes, the police probably overreact, but they don't necessarily know it's a hoax.
JackCh 8y ago
Are there any opinions, if stated, that can land you in prison in America? I'm not talking about threats, just opinions.
- wafflesraccoon 8y ago
  Maybe voicing an option on jury nullification in the wrong location at the wrong time?[0] That is just a shot in the dark though. [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification
  - JackCh 8y ago
    As I understand it, the opinion itself is not illegal, but the act of specifically targeting jurors might be. But I'm also under the impression that these sort of charges often but not always get tossed. I'm pretty damn confident that it's fully legal for me to say here and now: I believe jury nullification is a good idea. And I'm not aware of any other sort of opinions that are illegal to state in America. Even denying or applauding genocides and other atrocities is legal in America.

sbov 8y ago

That list has little relevance on this subject, because if you look at their methodologies they look at a lot more than government influence. (see https://rsf.org/en/detailed-methodology https://rsf.org/en/detailed-methodology) In fact it lists the US below pretty much every European country, and the US is known to have some of the most permissive free speech laws.

DanBC 8y ago
> and the US is known to have some of the most permissive free speech laws. But look at all the US kids having armed police sent to their homes because they swore on Xbox live.
- 2trill2spill 8y ago
  > But look at all the US kids having armed police sent to their homes because they swore on Xbox live. I'm assuming you have links or evidence to back those claims up. Or are you mistaking this for kids getting swatted[1], because I certainly haven't heard of kids getting in trouble with police for swearing on Xbox live and I feel like that would make national news. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting
- hermitdev 8y ago
  It's not because of swearing, it's generally because of a grudge. Making false statements to police is not protected speech. In every instance of this happening that I'm aware of when police are able to track down the individual(s) responsible, they are prosecuted, generally to the fullest extent of the law. It's dangerous to make something like a murder/suicide threat, and it should be treated & prosecuted as such. Yes, the police probably overreact, but they don't necessarily know it's a hoax.

JackCh 8y ago

Are there any opinions, if stated, that can land you in prison in America? I'm not talking about threats, just opinions.

wafflesraccoon 8y ago
Maybe voicing an option on jury nullification in the wrong location at the wrong time?[0] That is just a shot in the dark though. [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification
- JackCh 8y ago
  As I understand it, the opinion itself is not illegal, but the act of specifically targeting jurors might be. But I'm also under the impression that these sort of charges often but not always get tossed. I'm pretty damn confident that it's fully legal for me to say here and now: I believe jury nullification is a good idea. And I'm not aware of any other sort of opinions that are illegal to state in America. Even denying or applauding genocides and other atrocities is legal in America.