Social Media, Freedom of Speech and the Future of Our Democracy

The rise of social media is prompting questions about how to protect the public interest and preserve free speech at the same time.

Although social media platforms are broadening public discourse, empowering marginalized people and fostering new communities, they also facilitate the viral spread of harmful speech: misinformation, disinformation, defamation, promotion of self-harm and much more. Harmful speech has always existed, but social media platforms provide online spaces and powerful algorithms that filter, curate and spread harmful speech faster and wider than ever.

Harmful speech in the form of disinformation threatens democracy by undermining trust in public institutions and the process of building consensus. In contrast to misinformation, which contains simple falsehoods, disinformation consists of falsehoods spread intentionally to achieve some objective – usually political or financial. For example, voter fraud allegations surrounding the 2020 election spread rapidly through social media, reducing trust in the election process. These false allegations contributed to motivating the people who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Although...