United States falls in support for free speech, report finds
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A survey from The Future of Free Speech, an independent think tank out of Vanderbilt University, has found support for free speech has fallen in the United States.
In the report released this month, the United States, Japan and Israel showed the biggest drops in support for free speech since 2021.
While majorities in all 33 countries surveyed expressed general support for free speech on average, there was 'significant variation' across countries and within countries between different social groups.
Additionally, the report shows men in the U.S., as well as the young and middle-aged, showed declining support for free speech across different kinds of sensitive issues, including lower tolerance of statements that support homosexual relationships and insults to the American flag.
Click HERE to view the full report from The Future of Free Speech
According to the survey, the countries with the highest support for free speech were Scandinavian—Norway and Denmark—while the countries with the lowest support were Malaysia and Jordan.
The 2024 survey also showed women are generally more supportive of government restrictions on statements that are offensive to minority groups, their own religion or beliefs, or the national flag; however, they are also more tolerant toward statements that support gay relationships.
According to the survey, U.S. men, young people and college graduates have shown the 'steepest declines' in support for free speech.
Some examples given in the survey include:
Threats about hardening libel laws and stripping the broadcast license from critical media accused of airing fake news
Government requests to remove controversial content (about Covid) from social media
Laws targeting the wholesale removal of social media apps like TikTok
Continued infights about formal and informal regulation of hate speech
The banning of books from public libraries
Those examples show free speech is 'no longer a given in the US context,' the survey report read.
Rutherford County School Board votes to add prayer at meetings
Further, the report revealed the U.S. has seen the third-most decrease in support for free speech generally, slipping to ninth of 33, instead of third of 33 in 2021. Additionally, the U.S. is ranked 18th globally regarding tolerance of statements that praise homosexual relationships, the report said.
American men have seen decreased support for free speech on all issues but criticism of the government, according to the report. Women, on the other hand, have only seen a substantial decline in acceptance of insults to the American flag, per the report.
In terms of education levels, the report revealed Americans with higher levels of educational achievement generally expressed higher levels of support for free speech across different kinds of statements. The only exception, per the report, were statements that were offensive to minority groups. The amount of higher education also didn't make much difference—between a two-year or a four-year degree.
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Trends since 2021 showed all educational groups expressed a higher willingness to let the government prevent sensitive statements, the report stated.
'These findings raise critical questions about the future of free speech amid shifting societal norms, rising political polarization, and rapid technological advancement. As societies grapple with balancing freedom of expression with concerns over misinformation, hate speech, and social stability, the report underscores the need for nuanced discussions and policies that protect fundamental rights while addressing emerging challenges in the digital age,' the report read.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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