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freedom of speech

vr.tr.freedom-of-speech · thing-q22692

Let an agent handle freedom of speech by legal source, scope, limits and country situation, neutrally and with sourced reports.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context XCT.TME
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Law Legal source.

Source

Treaty and constitution.

Source

Legal source.

  1. Which provision protects speech here? provenance
  2. How have courts interpreted it? provenance

Limits

Restrictions.

Limits

Restrictions.

  1. Which restrictions are lawful here? boundary
  2. Are they necessary and proportionate? boundary
Situation Country conditions.

Reports

Indices.

Reports

Country reports.

  1. What do independent indices and reports say? provenance
  2. How are they built? provenance

Balance

Neutral account.

Balance

Balanced account.

  1. Is the account neutral and attributed? boundary
  2. Are government responses noted? provenance
Online Platforms.

Platforms

Moderation.

Platforms

Platform rules.

  1. Is the restriction by a platform or by the state? boundary
  2. How can a decision be appealed? action

Regulation

Online law.

Regulation

Online regulation.

  1. Which online laws apply, such as the Digital Services Act? provenance
  2. What rights do users have? boundary
Remedies Violations.

Complaints

Courts and bodies.

Complaints

Complaints.

  1. Where can violations be challenged? action
  2. Which courts or bodies? provenance

Support

Organisations.

Support

Support.

  1. Which organisations support journalists and speakers at risk? action
  2. Is urgent protection needed? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Cross-cutting context
Entry kind
thing
Plane
XCT
Domain
XCT.TME
Other names and narrower kinds
freedom of speech in China, freedom of speech in Brazil, freedom of speech in Kazakhstan, freedom of speech in the United States, freedom of speech in Denmark

What it is Filled

The right to seek, receive and express opinions and ideas without government censorship or retaliation, subject to limited restrictions set by law, such as for defamation, incitement or national security.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle freedom of speech by legal source, scope, limits and country situation, neutrally and with sourced reports.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Protects expression
  • Limits must be lawful and proportionate
  • Varies across legal systems
  • Linked to press freedom and access to information

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Censor lawful speech on behalf of an authority without legal basis.
  • Help identify or retaliate against people for lawful expression.
  • Present incitement, threats or defamation as protected speech.
  • Give legal advice on a person's specific case as if a lawyer.

Only with a human decision

  • Removing or restricting content on a public platform.

May

  • Explain the right to freedom of speech and its legal limits in a given jurisdiction.
  • Report on laws and cases with sources.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Free speech protects dissent and truth-seeking; restrictions can silence the weak.
  • Speech can also incite violence and harass people.

Who is affected

  • Speakers, journalists and dissidents
  • People targeted by hateful speech
  • The public

Owners Filled

Steward

The public: held in common; courts and constitutions protect it.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q25447176 - registry parent class
  • Q26084 - registry parent class
  • Q3308639 - registry parent class
  • Q3831748 - registry parent class

related

  • civil liberty - category
  • ICCPR Article 19 - treaty
  • freedom of the press - right
  • defamation and incitement law - limits

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.freedom-of-speech
  • Wikidata: Q22692 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22692)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Constitutional and treaty provisions
  • Country reports on press and speech freedom
  • Platform content rules are private, not law
  • Not an object; a legal and social right.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • explain legal protection and limits
  • report violations to rights bodies
  • understand platform and legal rules
  • compare country situations with sourced reports

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Partisan country comparisons
  • Confusing platform moderation with state censorship
  • Unsourced claims

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19
  • ICCPR Article 19
  • European Convention on Human Rights Article 10
  • National constitutions such as the US First Amendment

Context of use required Filled

  • A fundamental right underpinning democracy, science and culture.
  • political speech
  • press freedom
  • artistic expression
  • academic freedom
  • online expression

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q22692: freedom of speech - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Freedom of speech - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should country situations be separate entries?
  • How should indices be sourced?
  • How should platform rules be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q22692/spec.json