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Form före frihet? - Motiven bakom grundlagens tillämpning på podcasts

Klefbom, Jonatan LU (2020) LAGF03 20201
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
For the past few years, podcasts have grown to become an important form of expression for exchange of ideas and opinions. However, similarly to other publications on the internet, podcasts struggle to fall under the Swedish constitution; the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. The question of how the constitution applies to podcasts remains unnoticed in the preparatory works as well as in Swedish case law. Therefore, this essay seeks to clarify how the application works in comparison to how the Freedom of Press Act applies to printed issues. If that is not already the case, publications on the internet might soon be the most important instrument for public opinion and news distribution. Thus, the result of this essay will illustrate... (More)
For the past few years, podcasts have grown to become an important form of expression for exchange of ideas and opinions. However, similarly to other publications on the internet, podcasts struggle to fall under the Swedish constitution; the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. The question of how the constitution applies to podcasts remains unnoticed in the preparatory works as well as in Swedish case law. Therefore, this essay seeks to clarify how the application works in comparison to how the Freedom of Press Act applies to printed issues. If that is not already the case, publications on the internet might soon be the most important instrument for public opinion and news distribution. Thus, the result of this essay will illustrate what gaps that have to be filled in order to reach an equivalent degree of freedom of expression that printed issues currently possess.

Even though the topic of a constitution that applies similarly to all modes of expression has been investigated by the government over the past two decades, the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression is lacking in its application on digital expressions. The most recent investigation from 2016 by Mediegrundlagskommittén has concluded that, in light of its purpose, publications on the internet should be covered by the constitution, but that the problems it may implicate outweigh the advantages. This causes legal uncertainty for podcasts which therefore need to be published on a website that falls under the application to get the protection of the constitution. This is rarely an obstacle for news agencies since the law is intentionally designed for those subjects and thus the constitution applies automatically. Still, the preparatory works state that the constitution is aimed to cover all mass communication which contributes to the dissemination of information or opinions. In this sense, it is remarkable that quite a few podcasts that reach high publicity are still not applicable for the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Sedan några år tillbaka har podcasts blivit en viktig uttrycksform för utbytet av idéer och åsikter. Precis som många andra framställningar på internet brottas emellertid medieformen med svårigheter att bli omfattad av de svenska yttrandefrihetsgrundlagarna. Tillämpningsfrågan berörs varken av lagtext eller förarbeten och området är i princip oprövat av rättspraxis. Uppsatsen syftar därför till att ge klarhet om hur yttrandefrihetsgrundlagarna tillämpas på podcasts samt att jämföra detta med den tryckta skriftens heltäckande skydd. Om så redan inte är fallet kan internetpubliceringar snart bli samhällets viktigaste form av opinionsbildning och nyhetsförmedling. Uppsatsen illustrerar därför också vilka luckor som måste täppas för att... (More)
Sedan några år tillbaka har podcasts blivit en viktig uttrycksform för utbytet av idéer och åsikter. Precis som många andra framställningar på internet brottas emellertid medieformen med svårigheter att bli omfattad av de svenska yttrandefrihetsgrundlagarna. Tillämpningsfrågan berörs varken av lagtext eller förarbeten och området är i princip oprövat av rättspraxis. Uppsatsen syftar därför till att ge klarhet om hur yttrandefrihetsgrundlagarna tillämpas på podcasts samt att jämföra detta med den tryckta skriftens heltäckande skydd. Om så redan inte är fallet kan internetpubliceringar snart bli samhällets viktigaste form av opinionsbildning och nyhetsförmedling. Uppsatsen illustrerar därför också vilka luckor som måste täppas för att internet ska uppnå ett lika omfattande skydd som omger tryckt skrift. Uppsatsen syftar också till att redogöra vilka intressen som ligger till grund för den nuvarande lagstiftningen för att analysera om dessa motiv kan rättfärdiga grundlagarnas nuvarande tillämpningsområde.

Trots att frågan om en teknikneutral grundlag genomgått flera statliga utredningar de senaste två decennierna har YGL fortfarande vissa brister i sin tillämpning. Mediegrundlagskommittén var den senaste på området som i sitt betänkande från år 2016 konstaterade att internetpubliceringar rimligen borde omfattas av YGL men att det samtidigt finns övervägande skäl emot. Dessa grundas i lagstiftarens vilja att bibehålla de traditionella tryckfrihetsrättsliga principerna. Tills vidare måste podcasts publiceras på databaser som omfattas av grundlagen. För medieföretag blir tillämpningsfrågan sällan ett problem i praktiken då lagstiftaren avsiktligen utformat ett grundlagsskydd som gäller automatiskt. Motiven bakom grundlagen menar dock att den är ämnade att skydda all massmedial kommunikation som bidrar med upplysning eller meningsutbyte. Därför är det beklämmande att flera podcasts med stor publicitet trots det står utanför grundlagens tillämpning. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Klefbom, Jonatan LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20201
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Konstitutionell rätt, Statsrätt, Constitutional law, Internet, Podcast, Yttrandefrihet, Freedom Of Expression
language
Swedish
id
9010991
date added to LUP
2020-09-18 11:29:23
date last changed
2020-09-18 11:29:23
@misc{9010991,
  abstract     = {{For the past few years, podcasts have grown to become an important form of expression for exchange of ideas and opinions. However, similarly to other publications on the internet, podcasts struggle to fall under the Swedish constitution; the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. The question of how the constitution applies to podcasts remains unnoticed in the preparatory works as well as in Swedish case law. Therefore, this essay seeks to clarify how the application works in comparison to how the Freedom of Press Act applies to printed issues. If that is not already the case, publications on the internet might soon be the most important instrument for public opinion and news distribution. Thus, the result of this essay will illustrate what gaps that have to be filled in order to reach an equivalent degree of freedom of expression that printed issues currently possess.

Even though the topic of a constitution that applies similarly to all modes of expression has been investigated by the government over the past two decades, the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression is lacking in its application on digital expressions. The most recent investigation from 2016 by Mediegrundlagskommittén has concluded that, in light of its purpose, publications on the internet should be covered by the constitution, but that the problems it may implicate outweigh the advantages. This causes legal uncertainty for podcasts which therefore need to be published on a website that falls under the application to get the protection of the constitution. This is rarely an obstacle for news agencies since the law is intentionally designed for those subjects and thus the constitution applies automatically. Still, the preparatory works state that the constitution is aimed to cover all mass communication which contributes to the dissemination of information or opinions. In this sense, it is remarkable that quite a few podcasts that reach high publicity are still not applicable for the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression.}},
  author       = {{Klefbom, Jonatan}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Form före frihet? - Motiven bakom grundlagens tillämpning på podcasts}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}