International law governing freedom of expression, supported by half a century of treaty development and jurisprudence at international, regional and national levels, defines freedom of expression as protecting both speakers’ and audiences’ rights. However, this multi-directional framing is often left out of most public discussions of “free speech,” which instead, frequently focus only on the rights of speakers.
On April 6, 2026, experts at Perry World House convened to consider what it would mean if freedom of expression as a concept more clearly emphasized both speaker and audience rights.
While an audience-centered understanding of freedom of expression is commonplace in the legal context, public debate tends to focus more on a speaker-centered framework. For instance, participants noted that discussions around freedom of speech, particularly the First Amendment in the United States, often focus on state censorship of speech. Instead, they reasoned that a more effective framework might focus on what the state should do to promote and protect freedom of expression for the public interest.
Some experts also pointed out that any reframing of the freedom of expression, regardless of the country under consideration, would depend on a clear vision of what it means to have a healthy information system. These experts reasoned that free expression advocates would benefit from improved transparency and trust building in institutions that promote access to information, like public media. Toward the goal of protecting the public’s right to access a rich and robust ecosystem of media, education, and technology, some experts recommended creating a roadmap of the social dimensions of freedom of expression that could have salience in global debates.
This conference was made possible in part by the Thakore Family.
