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Debate: Freedom of speech in social media

 So, what should be our society’s appropriate answer to Andrew Tate and all the rest who benefit from a – what it appears – somewhat unguarded internet with all its dark places and untamed algorithms?

In today’s debate in Mek21b this issue was addressed in an engaged yet friendly manner. All students had been divided into smaller groups and had time to elaborate a given stance: half were assigned to defend “more censorship and more cancelling” while the other half had to find arguments in favour of less censorship and unmitigated freedom of speech. Today, a lot was cast determining which two groups should meet in an open debate, leaving the rest of the class to become onlookers. 

Given the complexity of the issue it was no surprise that both sides were able to present compelling arguments in favour of their given position. Some bad guys were brought to attention, such as Tate, Trump and Paludan, and no one can dismiss the influence people such as these exert not the least on children and young people who are looking for answers. Still, how to hopefully being able to cut short the power such people tend to accumulate is no easy task when one starts to consider all pros and cons with each proposition.

Where both sides could meet, however, was a suggestion to safeguard that anonymous accounts may be anonymous in conversations while not being entirely anonymous. In other words, they should be traceable, were they to commit serious acts of hate speech. Also, both sides agreed that social media even today have a huge responsibility, not the least bearing in mind this is where children and young people are exposed the most without parents and responsible adults knowing what is going on.

In conclusion, the debate offered both sides an opportunity to offer their best argument and have it tried in a contest-like yet friendly context. Probably, some thought it had been even more fun had the debate been in Swedish, but at least this way no one’s throat was slit, and for that the word goes the teacher in charge feels quite happy.  




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