Global Support for Principle of Free Expression, but Opposition to Some Forms of Speech

Although many observers have documented a global decline in democratic rights in recent years, people around the world nonetheless embrace fundamental democratic values, including free expression. A new Pew Research Center survey finds that majorities in nearly all 38 nations polled say it is at least somewhat important to live in a country with free speech, a free press and freedom on the internet. And across the 38 countries, global medians of 50% or more consider these freedoms very important.

Still, ideas about free expression vary widely across regions and nations. The United States stands out for its especially strong opposition to government censorship, as do countries in Latin America and Europe – particularly Argentina, Germany, Spain and Chile. Majorities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East also tend to oppose censorship, albeit with much less intensity. Indonesians, Palestinians, Burkinabe and Vietnamese are among the least likely to say free expression is very important.

More from Pew Research Center.

Reporters Without Borders' 2014 World Press Freedom Index: U.S. falls 13 places

Reporters Without Borders has posted its annual look at the state of press freedom around the world. As always, there are problems galore. As RWB points out, press freedom is non-existent in many countries, and people brave enough to be reporters there risk their liberty or lives even in absence of war. China, Sudan and Saudi Arabia are among them. On the other end of the study are Canada and the Scandinavian countries, where the press is outstandingly free. As for the United States:
Countries that pride themselves on being democracies and respecting the rule of law have not set an example, far from it. Freedom of information is too often sacrificed to an overly broad and abusive interpretation of national security needs, marking a disturbing retreat from democratic practices. Investigative journalism often suffers as a result.

This has been the case in the United States (46th), which fell 13 places, one of the most significant declines, amid increased efforts to track down whistleblowers and the sources of leaks.

U.S. is less free than 45 other countries

According to the 2010 Quality of Living Index published by InternationalLiving.com the U.S. is less free than Lithuania, Hungary, Malta and 42 other countries.

Out of a possible 100 points, the U.S. gets a score of 92.