Considering the fine line between censorship and supression, students define what content they believe should be censored on social media platforms without impacting their right to expression.
According to senior Anjolie Ware, freedom of expression is the right to “portray yourself and your morals publicly without being harassed or censored for it.”
Senior Kathryn Johnson thinks freedom of expression doesn’t allow someone to attack others for their beliefs.
“I don’t think it gives me the right to attack someone as a human being because I don’t agree with what they’re saying online,” Johnson said.
To senior Levi Lewis, this right to express one’s opinions does not exempt someone from repercussions
Senior Jacqueline McCoy agrees, says that those on social media should not post without consideration .”
“You have to make sure that you’re not offending anyone and just be careful and mindful with your words,” McCoy said.
Senior Joey Beck said that discriminatory language online is frequently left uncensored, even though some of these posts are often considered harmful to a group of people.
“I’ve seen a lot of people saying really dehumanizing things about others just because they disagree politically,” Johnson said.
According to Ware, posting personal beliefs on the internet can “lead to controversy.”
“There is a fine line between what is okay and what is not okay to post online,”
Ware said. “Sometimes freedom of expression can become a gray area because of this.”
Lewis said that this fine line can be attributed to the fast pace of social media and the relatively new sense of the Internet and what should be on it.
Lewis feels people often don’t think of the consequences of their posts.
However, Beck said that it’s important to keep certain things censored since many people of all ages exist on these platforms.
“The biggest thing is finding that balance of what should be censored and what doesn’t really need to be,” Beck said.
According to Ware, the generation that teenagers make up right now has had to figure it out alone “as it is a new space we are navigating.” To Johnson, any form of language that incites any type of violence against any group should be censored on social media.
According to Lewis, people should be allowed to post whatever they want “that’s not perpetuating hate on other people.”
“There’s always a way to voice your opinion without hurting another group of people that you don’t agree with,” Beck said.