FREE SPEECH

 Times of India

29 May 2025

Editorial 

Editorial page

Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself 

Salman Rushdie

But it is not. It  no longer holds true.

Take care when you post. You must.

Ravi Srinivasan had only 16 followers when he posted against a senior politician's son 13 years ago. That police took note and felt compelled to arrest him over other pressing matters, was surprising at that time, but no more.

The editorial harps on recent events and the  intervention by SC and Bombay HC.

In far away America, Trump's admin is also bent on silencing foreign students through social media vetting and scrutinising their social media profile.

Social media is today's public square. It's  concentrated and easy to monitor. There is a chilling effect on free speech when you know the govt. is watching you.

"Curbing free speech can't be good for democracies, in the West or the East," the editorial signs off.