FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ON THE INTERNET: CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES AND LEGAL LIMITS FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

This article provides a complex analysis of the constitutional and legal foundations for ensuring freedom of speech and freedom of information on the Internet, the lawful limits of exercising these rights, and emerging legal challenges in the modern digital space. The study clarifies the content of the right to seek, receive, store, use, and disseminate information enshrined in Article 33 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, alongside the legal grounds for restricting this right by law to protect national security, public order, public morals, public health, and the rights and freedoms of others. The paper examines legal mechanisms for countering risks arising from the inherent features of the Internet—such as cross-border nature, anonymity, and high-speed information exchange—including the spread of extremist materials, terrorist propaganda, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), drug and psychotropic substance promotion, cyber-suicide incitement, false/fake information, and data violating the privacy of private life. Furthermore, grounded in norms of international law, developed foreign practices, and international organizational approaches, the study addresses the proportionality between ensuring freedom of speech on the Internet and strengthening information security. Concluding the research, theoretical-practical conclusions and proposals are advanced for guaranteeing citizens’ constitutional rights in the digital space and improving legal mechanisms for countering harmful content in the Republic of Uzbekistan.