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A recent study on the future of free speech lists India in the 24th position among 33 countries. The study was conducted by The Future of Free Speech, which claims to be a nonpartisan and independent think tank located at Vanderbilt University in the US.
The report sheds light on how people globally face constraints on free speech and what topics or views should be open to discussion and criticism.
According to the report, there has been a significant increase in free speech restrictions worldwide. “In the past decade, the number of countries experiencing increased repression of free speech has far outnumbered those demonstrating substantial improvements, and the share of countries with strong free speech protections has declined significantly. Although speech restrictions have increased globally – often referred to as a ‘free speech recession‘ – new laws and judicial rulings alone do not fully explain the growing scepticism toward free speech,” reads the report.
While Scandinavian countries – Norway, Denmark, and Sweden – and two democratic nations – Hungary and Venezuela – top the list showing the highest level of support for free speech, Muslim-majority countries and the Global South show the lowest levels of support.
India ranks 24th on the list with an overall score of 62.63.
The surveys were developed by The Future of Free Speech and implemented by YouGov along with its international partners in October 2024. The report is based on a previous survey ‘Who Cares about Free Speech?’, published in 2021.
Even though support for free speech is usually linked to how much freedom of expression a country has, India, along with Hungary and Venezuela, has less free speech than what people want.
The report also suggests that Indians believe they have made significant progress in support of free speech, “although observers and rankings tend to agree that the situation in India has become worse if anything.”
Another interesting finding is free speech is more divided when it comes to supporting statements from minority communities, insulting the national flag, homosexual relationships and even one’s own religion.
Moreover, India is among the few countries where 75 percent of its population thinks the government or the head of the state should be allowed to prevent criticism.
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