Will limits on free expression prevent terrorism?

The report argues that limiting free expression and expanding surveillance to combat terrorism is counterproductive, as it erodes democratic values and may exacerbate radicalisation. While traditional media can spread fear through sensationalism, it rarely confers legitimacy on extremist ideologies. Similarly, while the internet facilitates the reinforcement of extremist views, it is not the primary source of radicalisation. The author recommends international norms for internet governance, stricter oversight of surveillance tools, and a shift toward addressing the underlying drivers of extremism.

• Traditional media coverage of terrorism generally fails to spread extremist ideology or provide legitimacy to the cause, as the focus remains on the violence of the act rather than the motives, often leading the public to view perpetrators as mentally unstable.
• Sensationalist reporting by traditional media creates a false projection of terrorist power and amplifies public fear, which pressures governments to implement aggressive, securitised responses that shrink civil liberties.
• The internet and social media act as tools to reinforce pre-existing extremist beliefs rather than serving as the primary source of radicalisation, which is more deeply rooted in issues of oppression and marginalisation.
• The expansion of surveillance powers under the guise of counter-terrorism has led to widespread abuse, including the monitoring of peaceful protesters and the use of tools by oppressive regimes to suppress political opposition.
• Mass surveillance and the fear of being monitored lead to self-censorship among the general public and journalists, which stifles the free thought and open discourse necessary for a functioning democracy.
• Freedom of expression and a free media can actively counter violent extremism by promoting tolerance, facilitating peaceful dispute resolution, and exposing the hypocrisy of extremist narratives.

APA

Schoeman, A. (2017). Will limits on free expression prevent terrorism? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/aitwr-2.pdf

Chicago

Schoeman, Albertus. Will limits on free expression prevent terrorism? Institute for Security Studies, 2017. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/aitwr-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Schoeman |first1=Albertus |title=Will limits on free expression prevent terrorism? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=September 2017 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/aitwr-2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{schoeman2017will, author = {Schoeman, Albertus}, title = {{Will limits on free expression prevent terrorism?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2017}, month = sep, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/aitwr-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }