Freedom of Speech and Expression in Digital Age: Constitutional Challenges

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@article{1717150,
      author = {Vaibhav Rastogi, Dr. Juhi Saxena},
      title = {Freedom of Speech and Expression in Digital Age: Constitutional Challenges},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {9},
      number = {10},
      pages = {3374-3381},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1717150.pdf},
      abstract = {In the digital age, freedom of speech and expression faces unprecedented constitutional challenges as online platforms amplify voices while enabling rapid dissemination of content. Digital censorship by governments and tech giants raises alarms, with state-imposed internet shutdowns and content takedown orders clashing against Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees this fundamental right subject to reasonable restrictions. Platform liability under laws like Section 79 of the Information Technology Act blurs lines between intermediaries and publishers, forcing companies to preemptively moderate speech, often overreaching into protected expression. Misinformation regulation emerges as a core tension, where efforts to curb fake news during elections or crises invoke public order justifications, yet courts scrutinize these for vagueness and chilling effects on dissent. Privacy rights collide with free speech, as data-driven surveillance under frameworks like the Personal Data Protection Bill threatens anonymous expression, echoing global debates in cases like Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015), which struck down Section 66A for its vagueness. Algorithmic bias compounds issues, with AI-curated feeds suppressing marginalized voices through opaque moderation, prompting constitutional scrutiny on equality under Article 14. Balancing these demands horizontal equity between state power and individual liberty remains elusive. Judicial interventions, such as the Supreme Court's emphasis on proportionality in Kaushal Kishor (2023), underscore the need for nuanced frameworks that safeguard expression without yielding to authoritarian overreach. Ultimately, evolving digital ecosystems demand constitutional reinterpretation to preserve democratic discourse amid technological flux.},
      keywords = {Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, Human Rights},
      month = {April},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I10-1717150}
  }