[thefz]

Sorry but that is plain wrong. Freedom of speech in Italy is more or less the same of what you state to be "American freedom of speech", i.e. the right not to be persecuted for your ideas, with some eexceptions being hate speech or incitement to violence. This right includes other forms of communication such as writing and artistic expression.

If you have time to translate this, the Italian form is even a bit less strict in definition : https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libert%C3%A0_di_manifestazione...

[oytis]

> with some eexceptions being hate speech or incitement to violence

These are important exceptions though. Absence of hate speech laws is one thing that makes "American freedom of speech" a pretty unique thing.

[thefz]

That's a step backward, not forward.

[oytis]

I don't think there is such thing as "backward" and "forward" here. They probably contribute to social peace, but put limits to the freedom of speech, which do not exist in the U.S.