Ethical Dilemmas between Freedom of Expression and the Right to Opinion on Social Media

Abstract

Digital communication platforms have expanded
opportunities for public expression while simultaneously generating
ethical tensions related to language use. In many cases, expressive
freedom in social media environments is detached from moral
accountability, resulting in the normalization of hate speech, aggressive
sarcasm, and misleading information. This study explored the ethical
dilemma between freedom of expression and moral responsibility in
digital language practices and developed a responsibility-oriented
framework for digital communication ethics. Employing a reflective
qualitative approach, the analysis drew upon critical discourse
examination of selected viral cases across major social media platforms
and philosophical interpretation grounded in the ethical theories of
Hans Jonas, Jürgen Habermas, and Immanuel Kant. The analysis
demonstrated that unregulated expressive freedom frequently
legitimized harmful communicative practices and weakened social
empathy. The study argued that ethical digital communication requires
the integration of moral responsibility, rational discourse, and respect
for human dignity. It concluded that a responsibility-based ethical
paradigm offers a conceptual foundation for balancing expressive rights
with social obligations, thereby contributing to the cultivation of ethical
digital literacy beyond mere legal compliance.