Limiting Freedom of Speech During E-deliberation

The internet has provided new means of political participation that could encourage people to actively participate in legislative processes. This ‘digital public sphere’ could make it easier for people to manipulate others by spreading hate speech. Hence, to preserve the potential that the internet offers for digital democracy, it is necessary to regulate the freedom of speech. By connecting Cohens’ conception of deliberative democracy – a philosophy that values freedom of speech – with the online dimension, this thesis focusses on whether norms that restrict the conduct of participants in online communication should differ from what applies offline. Consequently, this thesis delves into Feinberg’s offense principle