Freedom of Speech on the Internet

As we enter the tweny-first century, Internet has been becoming more and more convenient and essential for people's lives.Especially, with the advanced devices such as smart phone and tablet, the explosion of the number of internet users is significant.
However, the internet has brought both positive and negative effect.
The best thing which internet brought in our life would be that it provides people with opportunity to state their opinion very easily. That is, the internet promoted the freedom of speech.
On the other hand, the worst situation that Internet caused because of its convenience is that people started abusing the right.

With explosion of popularity of blogs, so many people started owning SNS sites and blogs, which enabled people to state something easily and share with others.
For example, Twitter allowed people to quickly write anything about what they think, see
, and what is going on to them within 140 characters. Not only regular people started Twitter, but also various famous people starting tweeting on Twitter. The users can follow other users to check their tweets and comment on them.
Moreover, increasing blog websites enabled people to promote themselves in market.
For example, Tokyo Panda was successfully produces her fashion skills and became one of the most influential fashion leader among young women in China.
According to the article named "Japanese fashion blogger selling wardrobe for quake relief", Toyko Panda is a female Japanese medical student in China, and she posted her picture of her with a clothes from Taobao which is China's largest online shopping service and explain the fashion style (par. 3).
She also communicated with her blog viewers by recommenting on comment she received from them.


On ther other hand, because of the convenience on stating one opinion, free speech has been becoming violent, and that is also causing people suicides.
The article by  Shunichirou Hamazaki depicts violent free speech in 2-channel.
2-channel is the largest online textboard in Japan. It provides various contents ranging daily news to information of weapons and drugs. In 2 channel, anonymity is approved. People are free to state your opinion without identifying themselves. However, the auther points out the negative side of anonymity that "because of this anonymity, there is always a flood of libel and slander on the boards, among which some are brought to court for defamation and privacy infringement" (par. 1).
People who uses anonymity tend to be violent on their statements because they do not have responsibility on their statements.
Moreover, many death threats and suicides are reported because of the violent speech from others.
According to the article "Celebrity deaths spark concern over South Korea's suicide rate", many famous south korean singers and actress has been victims of violent statements from others
For example, a pop singer Yuni was found to be hanged at home from depression from slanderous comments by using anonymity from her blog viewers after confessing that she had a plastic surgery. In the article, Oh Seung-Geun who is a researcher at hte state-financed Korea Institute for Youth Development says that "Many internet users, taking advantage of anonymity, have made a hobby of writing malicious message on websites, accusing celebrities of sex scandals or plastic surgery" (par. 15).


In conclusion, internet allowed people to speek freely and easily and share it with various people. However, free speech has been becoming violent because of its convenience at the same time. People are becoming less responsible for their statement by using anonymity and hurting people.