Reading Time: 2 minutes As a society, we’ve always considered free speech as an absolute element of freedom of expression. It is a sacred idea that is an anchor in democracy. Generally, online harassment has been treated as an unfortunate but unavoidable byproduct of the darker side of free speech, no matter how dark or dangerous it gets. 

The free speech organization PEN America is now challenging that assumption. It’s arguing that harassment is not an expression of free speech but a deterrent to it, that online harassment is antithetical to free speech because online harassment is designed to silence.