Volume-II, Special Issue, March 2026
Novel Insights A Peer-Reviewed Quarterly Multidisciplinary Research Journal |
Volume-II, Special Issue, March 2026 |
Rethinking Free Speech in Digital Age: Insights from John Stuart Mill. Jorjis Ali, Independent Research Scholar, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India Email: jorjisali2@gmail.com |
Received: 25.03.2026 | Accepted: 28.03.2026 | Published Online: 31.03.2026 |
Page No: 130-141 | DOI: 10.69655/novelinsights.vol.2.issue.specialW.97 | |
Abstract | ||
The circumstances under which the freedom of speech functions has greatly transformed due to the digitalization of communication. On the one hand, social media platforms have opened up more opportunities to express oneself and engage in the global discussion, and on the other hand, social media also brings certain issues such as misinformation, fake news, domination of algorithms, and echo chambers. The increasing numbers of regulatory measures by the state and non state actors are also introducing challenges to free expression . The article reinvestigates the traditional defense of free speech as presented by John Stuart Mill in the works under On Liberty (1859) and also tries to determine its applicability in the new digital space. The fallibility, dissent value, and harm principle-based framework by Mill offers a solid basis for the analysis of the contribution of free expression to the democracies. Even though, Mill believed in rational discussion, modern digital communication makes that kind of discussion more difficult to happen because online platforms work in very different ways. The article claims that although the principles of Mill are still normatively relevant, they have to be substantially reinterpreted along with the line of algorithm-based communications and excessive information flow. The paper will be based on the current theoretical frameworks and will investigate how digital space can affect the shaping of popular opinion and can cause a pause in the freedom of expression. It also examines feasible interventions, such as making algorithms transparent, becoming digitally literate, and responsible in content moderation, as potential solutions to the problem of reconciliation between freedom of expression and new harms. The article concludes that free speech within the digital era requires a fine balance between the liberty of an individual and curbing the emerging dangers of digital communication frameworks. Keywords: Digital Public Sphere, Algorithms Governance, Free Speech, John Stuart mill, Harm Principle. | ||