In America, the First Amendment offers the freedom of speech. There are many misinterpretations regarding this matter and its application. The freedom of speech for celebrities became one of the topics in the nation due to the actions of personalities such as Colin Kaepernick. However, there is a critical question about how much protection the freedom of speech provides.
On the one hand, it may seem that celebrity activism can significantly affect the lives of Americans, making some changes that might help people in their lives. In the past, the celebrities’ freedom of speech was used to fight against injustice, and it worked. It is believed that celebrities use this power to promote discussion and encourage people to learn something new and improve their lives.
However, it should be noted that the First Amendment protects only individuals from the government, not from society and other organizations. For instance, a league can create some policies in order to limit athletes’ freedom of speech. A player can face negative feedback from the league, his career can suffer, he can lose endorsement deals, and people can react negatively to his statements. Besides, there is a possibility that the celebrity does not have sufficient knowledge to discuss some matters with the audience.
Another crucial element that should be taken into account is the role that celebrities play in shaping opinions, particularly those of the younger generation. Due to their great popularity, what they say could reach many people within a very short time, affecting people’s attitudes towards various social and political problems. On the one hand, it is good if celebrities help people understand the reality better; however, on the other hand, it might lead to negative results if their ideas are distorted or oversimplified.
One should pay attention not only to the idea of the freedom of speech but also to how it works in reality.
Digital Media Literacy Class 