Levels of Freedom of Opinion and Expression in Digital Media in Iraq (A Comparative Critical Analytical Study in Light of the Liberal and Social Responsibility Communication Theories)

الملخص

The media in general and digital media in particular offer the widest possible arena to practice freedom of opinion and expression. These media are a strong safeguard to protect freedom from various violations that it may suffer from, in the context of social responsibility.

The research study seeks to clarify the digital media in Iraq’s level of practicing freedom of opinion and expression as mentioned by the liberal theory as well as the level of adherence to the theory of social responsibility within social responsibility’s social obligations since the political change in Iraq in 2003 until now. The study is contained in five chapters; the first chapter includes the problem of research, its significance, and its aims. The second chapter is the theoretical framework where the researcher explains the concepts and theories used in the study. The third chapter tackles the reality of the Iraqi media in the contemporary era. The fourth chapter is the field study where the researcher presents the study sample’s responses to a questionnaire that was conducted on a sample of specialists in the fields of media, law, politics, and civil society organizations. Finally, the fifth chapter is the study of conclusions and recommendations.

The findings of the analysis suggest that the Iraqi media practices freedom of opinion and expression, but within an incomplete liberal framework lacking the professional controls advanced in social responsibility theory. The Iraqi media orientation is, therefore, not in total conformity with either theory but is more transitional. The research recommends forming a committee that formulates an integrative model between the two theories and developing an effective professional framework for media practice that strikes a balance between freedom of opinion and expression and social responsibility, and this is in accordance with the demands of democracy.