Free Speech Union Calls on Lumo Digital Outdoor to Honour the Spirit of Freedom of Speech

Openly taking down an ad because of who says something, not what it says, is aiding bigotry, plain and simple” says Jonathan Ayling, Campaign Manager for the Free Speech Union.

At the heart of freedom of speech is a commitment to meeting argument with counter-argument, false claims with more factual claims. Freedom of speech is tolerance, and trust in truth and fearless debate to persuade your fellow citizens. But it is also realism, the experience that suppression of messages unwelcome to the authorities can just feed mistrust. It is the Streisand effect in public information campaigns. 

“Lumo Digital Outdoor’s decision to remove a billboard which had previously been approved and had already gone live, simply because they learn of unpopular stances of the advertisers on other issues is likely to build the kind of rusted in division and mistrust that now bedevils public health campaigns across the western world. 

“The Free Speech Union recognises the right of private businesses to choose whose messages they carry, as long as they are not de facto monopolies or in a collusive oligopoly.  But we urge Lumo Digital to consider the precedent effects. Will they research and critique each opinion held by each organisation going forward, to ensure they are in alignment with Lumo’s perspective? Does Lumo want to have to defend its position vis a vis each advertiser’s perceived moral standing? Would it not be safer for them, and for our democracy and tradition of tolerance plus vigorous debate, for them to announce and stick to a policy of impartiality, absent illegality.  

“The Free Speech Union does not endorse the advertisements. But even those who are patently wrong have a right to express themselves, a right to conversation. 

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