o·pin·ion /??p?n

y?n/
Pronunciation Key -
Show Spelled Pronunciation[
uh-
pin-y
uh
n]
–noun
1. A personal view, attitude, or appraisal
Freedom of speech is the concept of being able to speak freely without
censorship. It is often regarded as an integral concept in modern
liberal democracies. The right to freedom of speech is guaranteed under international law through numerous human rights instruments, notably under Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 10 of the
European Convention on Human Rights, although implementation remains lacking in many countries. The synonymous term
freedom of expression is sometimes preferred, since the right is not confined to verbal speech but is understood to protect any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.
In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country, although the degree of freedom varies greatly. Industrialized countries also have varying approaches to balance freedom with order. For instance, the
United States First Amendment theoretically grants absolute freedom, placing the burden upon the state to demonstrate when (if) a limitation of this freedom is necessary. In almost all
liberal democracies, it is generally recognized that restrictions should be the exception and free expression the rule; nevertheless, compliance with this principle is often lacking.