Who is the strongest supporter of freedom of speech and expression?

Asked by: Alexandrea Towne  |  Last update: March 17, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (2 votes)

The US registered the highest score, at 5.73. Poland was the second most tolerant country, registering a median score of 5.66. Spain and the United Kingdom were the only other European countries to feature in the 10 most tolerant, at 5.62 and 4.78 respectively.

Who supported the freedom of speech?

James Madison (1809-1817). A key architect of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Madison was the foremost champion of religious liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press in the Founding Era. Like Jefferson, he opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts.

What country is ranked #1 in freedom?

The freest place on Earth is Switzerland. It is followed by Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, and Luxembourg. Syria is at the bottom of the list, with Iran, Yemen, Sudan, and Myanmar being the next-lowest countries. Canada ranks 12th and the US is 15th.

Who protects freedom of speech?

Among other cherished values, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech. The U.S. Supreme Court often has struggled to determine what exactly constitutes protected speech.

Who is fighting for free speech?

The ACLU has worked since 1920 to ensure that freedom of speech is protected for everyone.

Freedom of Speech: Crash Course Government and Politics #25

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Why is Gen Z protesting so much?

Although the causes of the protests are different in each country, they have generally been in response to inequality, declining standards of living, corruption, democratic backsliding and authoritarianism.

What is the Trump Executive Order for freedom of speech?

Executive Order 14149. Executive Order 14149, titled "Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship", is an executive order signed by Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States, on January 20, 2025, the day of his second inauguration.

What free speech isn't allowed?

The following speech may not be protected: Speech that is intended and likely to provoke imminent unlawful action (“incitement”). Statements where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to a particular individual or group of individuals (“true threats”).

What are the 5 limits to freedom of speech?

Categories of speech that are given lesser or no protection by the First Amendment (and therefore may be restricted) include obscenity, fraud, child pornography, speech integral to illegal conduct, speech that incites imminent lawless action, speech that violates intellectual property law, true threats, and commercial ...

Does the ACLU still support free speech?

The ACLU is committed to the principle of free speech today, just as it was in the 1990s, 1970s, and long before that. And we are specifically committed to the proposition that the First Amendment's guarantees (like those of the rest of the Constitution) apply to all, not just to those with whom we agree.

What is the least freest country?

According to the Freedom House Freedom Index from 2024, Turkmenistan and South Sudan were the two least free countries in the world that year. The index measures the level of political rights and civil liberties in a country.

What is the freest and safest country in the world?

The 2024 GPI indicates Iceland, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, Malaysia and Canada to be the most peaceful countries, while Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Congo, Russia, Syria, Israel and Mali to be the least peaceful.

What country is the most free in 2025?

Countries with the highest levels of human freedom are 1) 🇨🇭Switzerland, 2) 🇩🇰 Denmark, 3) 🇳🇿New Zealand, 4) 🇮🇪 Ireland, and 5) 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, according to the new Human Freedom Index 2025.

Can the president restrict free speech?

Government agencies and government officials are forbidden from regulating or restricting speech or other expression based on its content or viewpoint.

Did the founding fathers put God in the constitution?

After the Constitutional Convention in 1787, when Alexander Hamilton was asked why God had not been mentioned in the Constitution, he reportedly quipped, "We forgot." True! The story of Hamilton's famous quip may be apocryphal, but the Founders really didn't mention God in our country's charter.

What countries lack free speech?

Here are summaries of the Most Censored Countries:

  • NORTH KOREA.
  • TURKMENISTAN.
  • EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Leader: President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, in power since a coup in 1979.
  • LIBYA.
  • ERITREA. ...
  • Lowlight: At least 15 journalists have been jailed or otherwise deprived of their liberty. ...
  • UZBEKISTAN. ...
  • SYRIA.

Is the f word protected speech?

At times, profanity is a non-protected speech category

Profanity can be regulated, however, under certain circumstances consistent with the First Amendment. Profane rants that cross the line into direct face-to-face personal insults or fighting words are not protected by the First Amendment.

What is the Free Speech Act of 2025?

“The Free Speech Act of 2025 will prevent the FCC from using its power to unlawfully censor voices or force media companies to align with a political agenda.

Is yelling freedom of speech?

Depending on the circumstances, you could be charged with disorderly conduct. If someone is injured, you could be liable. The First Amendment does protect your right to yell "fire" if there truly is one — or you truly believe there is — and you are trying to warn people of the danger so that they can get to safety.

What speech is never protected by the First Amendment?

The Court generally identifies these categories as obscenity, defamation, fraud, incitement, fighting words, true threats, speech integral to criminal conduct, and child pornography. The contours of these categories have changed over time, with many having been significantly narrowed by the Court.

Is it illegal to make racist comments?

Under current First Amendment jurisprudence, hate speech can only be criminalized when it directly incites imminent criminal activity or consists of specific threats of violence targeted against a person or group.

What are the two exceptions to freedom of speech?

The right to freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Most categories of speech are “protected” to some extent by the First Amendment, but there are exceptions, including things like incitement, true threats, defamation, obscenity, fraud, and others.

What is the big bill that Trump passed?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) or the Big Beautiful Bill (P.L. 119-21), is a U.S. federal statute passed by the 119th United States Congress containing tax and spending policies that form the core of President Donald Trump's second-term agenda. The bill was signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025.

Can a president undo past executive orders?

Second, each President is generally free to amend, repeal, or replace any executive order, including those of previous Presidents. Therefore, policies enacted by executive order may be less likely to persist between Administrations than policies and laws enacted through other means.

What is not protected speech in the United States?

Incitement — speech that is both “directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action” — is unprotected by the First Amendment. The standard comes from the Supreme Court's 1969 decision in Brandenburg v.