https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/05/31/students-value-free-expression-only-if-its-not-derogatory-or-hurtful-essay
Having discussed how at CUNY, we should be allowed “freedom of speech” (in the sense that we have academic freedom) it would seem that surveys show that students would actually like restrictions on freedom of speech.
Although in some aspects this seems strange, it would seem that the article pulls in how social media plays a role in why some students would prefer restrictions. Saying as to how, “civil” discussions on social media are not always a thing (around 60%) and how too many people are able to say things anonymously.
When it comes to free speech on school campuses, the article discusses how students are not willing to express themselves freely, mainly due to how what they might say will affect how they are identified. It would seem that with that being an issue, students will not speak with complete honestly about others, so they are able to maintain their own image.
Since I do not use social media, as often as I think I should, I often feel left out when things happen that pertain to social media. Most of what I know relating to social media often happens when a friend sends me something related to the topic of social media. Most of the social media topics I do know about, often related to “uncivil” discussions. I often think back to a “hashtag” that had gone around twitter, involving how women were proud of their abortions. Reading through that hashtag at the time, I probably would have commented with a lot of backlash since I personally felt that most of the post in the hashtag were very disturbing. Wanting to get rid of your child because ” I don’t want my pregnancy to hold me back during my vacation ” was something I personally could not stand.
In a sense I feel that having total “freedom of speech” online, might indeed tarnish your image. Although to force people to need to censor themselves is not something that is necessary. I feel that if a person, in this case possibly a student, were to write something within social media that makes themselves look bad, they should have every right to do so. They at that point are an adult and whatever they choose to say have consequences, that they need to deal with themselves.
