The Formal Freedom of Speech means that the government does not use censorship. No one decides in advance what can be published and what cannot. One of the few exceptions concerns children, where the government may restrict movies and computer games to certain age groups, and ban child pornography.
 
The Formal Freedom of Speech means that the government does not use censorship. No one decides in advance what can be published and what cannot. One of the few exceptions concerns children, where the government may restrict movies and computer games to certain age groups, and ban child pornography.
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The Material Freedom of Speech means that even though no censorship exist, the Freedom of Speech is not unlimited. In public, it will always be a freedom with responsibility, and the legislation can specify these responsibilities. There may be laws against libel, racism, and blasphemy. These laws are meant to safeguard individuals and minority groups against verbal attacks, campaign of slander, hate speec, and insults, which would otherwise be hard to defend oneself against.
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The Material Freedom of Speech means that even though no censorship exists, the Freedom of Speech is not unlimited. In public, it will always be a freedom with responsibility, and the legislation can specify these responsibilities. There may be laws against libel, racism, and blasphemy. These laws are meant to safeguard individuals and minority groups against verbal attacks, campaign of slander, hate speec, and insults, which would otherwise be hard to defend oneself against.
    
== Defamation and Slander ==
 
== Defamation and Slander ==
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Traditions around legislation on defamation and slander are very different from country to country. Some countries have very strict laws and it is easy to take offenders to court, other countries leave it to individual moral what is acceptable to say about others.  
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Traditions around legislation on defamation and slander are very different from country to country. Some countries have very strict laws and it is easy to take offenders to court, other countries leave it up to individual moral what is acceptable to say about others.  
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In general, there are two kinds of defamation and slander, though:
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In general, there are two kinds of defamation and slander:
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'''Insults''' are when, for instance, someone says that somebody is stupid or mentally deranged. It is insulting and unpleasant, but it has to be extremely severe and continuing to be punishable. It is to a large extend legal to insult people in this way, but not exactly charming, and for the most part the person who makes the insult ends up looking most stupid or mentally deranged.
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'''Insults''' are when, for instance, someone says that somebody is stupid or mentally deranged. It is insulting and unpleasant, but it has to be extremely severe and continuing to be punishable. It is to a large extend legal to insult people in this way, but not exactly charming, and for the most part the person who makes the insult ends up looking most stupid or mentally deranged than the person insulted.
    
'''Charges''' means claiming that somebody acts in a criminal way. For instance that people steal or commit fraud.  
 
'''Charges''' means claiming that somebody acts in a criminal way. For instance that people steal or commit fraud.  
 
== Racism ==
 
== Racism ==