“Freedom of speech, particularly through the media, must cede to the greater good of society.” Discuss the arguments either for or against such a claim drawing from specific examples in the Asia context

Freedom of speech

For many countries , democracy is important . One important determinant if democracy is working is the people 's exercise of their freedom of speech . When the citizens in a country has the capacity to air out reactions and comments on their country , their surroundings , their government , and their lives , they enjoy freedom of expression - a privilege some countries never had . Thus , it is important to nurture this privilege and use it for the advantage of a nation and its people

An interesting feature of freedom of speech is that it

tends to pose a country enjoying it as impressively free while also showing that this country is fragile . This is because countries who give freedom of expression to their people are applauded by international proponents of democracy and civil freedom . However , people may go overboard and express wildly on different things , resulting in remarks that may be damaging to a government , a country , or its people . This shows that while freedom of expression is tantamount to democracy , it is the prerogative of the government and the people to respect the boundaries of this freedom

China is a classic example of a country whose people has long been denied of their freedom of speech . News has it that expression in China is widely censored the government has spent billions of dollars developing the technology of an internet police which monitors what their constituents surfing the net are watching online , and what they say . Blogs , chat rooms , emails , and other online activities are highly monitored as much as the government is monitoring and limiting the possibility of print publishing and radio-television broadcasting . Some citizens who still decided to express themselves were summarily arrested by the police and detained . The more unfortunate were put on worse circumstances . Yet China 's decision to shield the country against too much self-expression helped it keep the privacy it wants and deserves It enabled protection for China and its global image , making up for what the country lacked

In the contrary , the Philippines enjoy freedom of speech at its best Internet activities are done in a personal context , there are no online policemen , print publications are competing on few readers , and broadcast communication is at their best . On the other hand , the government and the people seem problematic on this too much freedom that the people are enjoying . Killings of broadcasters have been widespread journalists are being ambushed or summarily executed . Activists are extra-judicially killed . It is a wonder how a country who deliberately gives its people freedom to express is allowing people who express to be killed

What is too much can be bad . Freedom of speech is a good thing , and countries should consider giving even just a little of it to the people Where it is enjoyed , the government should encourage that it should be used properly and for the greater good of the society . Freedom of speech makes a country more precious , more laudable . Yet it is how the people fight...