Freedom of speech is in retreat
Some other legal restrictions on communication that aren&#x27;t normally included in the &quot;free speech&quot; debate:<p>* Distributing pirated media&#x2F;breaking copyright or trademarks<p>* Slander and libel laws<p>* HIPAA and medical information privacy laws<p>* Sharing information for insider trading<p>* Market manipulation by sharing false or misleading information<p>* Breaching attorney-client privilege<p>* Laws governing how jurors are allowed to communicate<p>* FCC and obscenity laws in US media<p>* Distribution of illegal porn (for various definitions of illegal)<p>* Holocaust denial laws in Canada and Europe<p>* US anti-boycott provisions that ban &quot;furnishing information&quot; about doing business with certain countries<p>* Military and government classified information (thanks rmc!)<p>There are many others. The point is we&#x27;re always a bit selective about what counts as free speech, and there are lots of exceptions, some very well motivated.<p>These articles about &quot;free speech is in danger&quot; seem to be unnecessarily abstract: if you want to discuss the problems with Islam or the merits of social justice or whatever, don&#x27;t argue about the way you&#x27;re having the debate, just have the debate. Because our society doesn&#x27;t really view free speech as a consistent principle anyway.