Loss of freedom of speech/expression

Mitigation strategy

1. Establish a comprehensive policy framework ensuring that any potential limitations on freedom of expression, including content moderation or legal restrictions, strictly adhere to the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality as mandated by international human rights instruments and constitutional law. This requires limitations to be narrowly tailored, content- and viewpoint-neutral, and applied only to a few, clearly defined categories of unprotected speech (e.g., incitement to imminent violence, true threats, and harassment). 2. Implement non-restrictive measures to foster an open and inclusive discourse environment, focusing on enhancing community capacity to navigate complex information. Priority actions include promoting media literacy and education, actively facilitating counterspeech and reasoned debate, and establishing transparent, universally accessible, and accountable mechanisms for users to challenge contested speech restrictions or content removal decisions. 3. Strengthen institutional accountability and due diligence to prevent government or powerful non-state actors from coercing, intimidating, or retaliating against individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression. This necessitates developing internal zero-tolerance policies for threats/attacks, ensuring that human rights risk assessments investigate and address instances of causation, contribution, or linkage to speech suppression, and establishing robust legal and administrative recourse for individuals whose rights have been infringed.