Global Free Speech Support
A global survey conducted by the Future of Free Speech, a U.S.-based think tank, ranked India 24th out of 33 countries for free speech support.
While abstract support for free speech is strong, protecting controversial speech is declining globally.
More countries saw declines in free speech support since 2021, including democracies.
Ranking Highlights
Scandinavian countries, Norway and Denmark, topped the free speech index.
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan showed the biggest improvements, though they remain low in rankings.
Authoritarian-leaning countries like Hungary and Venezuela scored high, showing a disconnect between government restrictions and public attitudes.
India-Specific Findings
Most Indians believe free speech without government censorship is important.
Support for criticizing government policies is below the global average.
A high percentage of Indians (37%) believe governments should prevent criticism of policies, the highest among surveyed countries.
India has a disconnect between public support and actual protection of free speech.
Indians perceive improvement in their ability to speak freely, contradicting expert assessments that the situation has worsened.
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