Freedom of speech, freedom of press should not be ignored.
Freedoms of the press and speech are something which is near and dear to my heart. The ability for people to say what they want or broadcast what they want – without fear of government reprisal – is a key pillar of freedom and liberty. I may not like what someone posts on social media or expresses in a newspaper, blog, TV, or radio – but I will defend their ability to give an opinion or air their content.
The recent actions by the New Zealand government in light of last week’s horrific terrorist attack only solidify my point of view.
It is understandable why the Kiwis want to keep video of the attack from public consumption – as several people who have viewed the video have expressed horror by its content. Yet, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern has boldly crossed the line into censorship by dictating to Google, Instagram, and Facebook the videos must be removed – or they’ll face reprisals for violation the law.
“This is an issue that I will look to be discussing directly with Facebook,” Adern told reporters on Sunday when asked if Facebook should disable their live-streaming feature. A 22-year-old is under arrest for sharing footage of the attack, and those who post censored versions of the attack video will also be prosecuted. Sky New Zealand pulled Sky News Australia for showing the video, although it isn’t known if it was done at the behest of the government. One can guess they wanted to avoid running afoul of the country’s Office of Film and Literature Classification, who declared the video was not a freedom of speech or information issue.
