Our individual rights are what have shaped our country and our lives for decades. From these freedoms, we can pull a collective set of theories and values that work to describe the ways in which they act and are present in the system. From marketplace of ideas, to individual fulfillment, and protected dissent, each illustrates a privilege that we are given and that is protected. While all eight of the speech theories are valuable and relevant, I feel that there is one that is of extreme importance given the circumstances of today's society: the Watchdog Rule.
Many of the theories themselves can almost act as umbrellas that provide overarching concepts that enclose other ideas. In my opinion this theory is one of those, making it easier to place above the others. The Watchdog Rule can be simplified into layman's terms as a check on governmental power. We, as society, have the ability to act as a cog in the machine that restrains the autonomy of our political structure, which is ultimately done through the utilization of the press and the first amendment's freedoms by the common man. Often times, the average individual lacks the ability and power to directly target an issue that is recognized within our system. Therefore, the most consistent form of power that we as society have and can most readily exercise is with the expression and publication of our words and ideas. This means that the foundation of this theory can be tied directly to the first amendment. Our capability to vocalize when we feel the government has breached our constitutional freedoms or overstepped the reach of the autonomy outlined by our founding documents is impossible without the freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Thus, the Watchdog Rule is contingent on the right to free expression.
In understanding this theory, or any concept for that matter, I feel that it is important to contemplate what life would be like without its privileges. Thus, consider this hypothetical situation: the government wants to install tracking chips into every car that is made and manufactured in the United States. It would allow higher authorities to know your location at all times without your consent. What do you do? What can you do? The answer is nothing. Without the Watchdog Rule, the average individual has no power, no say, no choice. They do not have the authority to let the government know when they have crossed their boundaries. They have no way to spread their message of discontent with the press. They have no right to rally together and express that this is too far. Ultimately, as a result, they have no choice, no way to fight back against the autonomy of those in power in that present moment. This scenario, though extreme, could happen in our nation. Without this value of free expression, it is clear to see that the average citizen is virtually powerless.
Lastly, the question then poses itself of what does this theory look like in a present day context? With the most recent election being one of the tightest and most controversial in history, it is easy to highlight the way in which the Watchdog Rule worked throughout its course. From a study done in 2013 by the Pew Research Center, it was said that out of every ten people surveyed, seven felt that press exposure of political leaders or candidates was enough of a looming threat that it prevented those individuals from doing or committing acts that would not be favorable in the eyes of the public. Thus, we can almost see this theory working as a reverse panopticon. The 'panopticon,' an idea constructed by Joseph Bentham in the 18th century, describes the idea that if someone is said to be monitoring a group of people, a person will behave as if the guard is always watching them specifically. This is because they are unsure and unaware of if the guard's focus is actually on them, thus they must be prepared at all times with the best behavior.
While this concept is most commonly applied with the government acting as the guard and the citizens as those on edge, with the Watchdog Rule, this is reversed. We, the people, with the power of the press, act as monitors for the behavior of the politicians and government, especially during the times of an election. The main difference is in reasoning. While the government monitors us to maintain power, we do so to ensure that what little control and freedom that we have is not usurped by those in charge. Therefore, the Watchdog Rule is both a powerful and essential tool for the people to have in today's society.
References:
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/08/08/amid-criticism-support-for-medias-watchdog-role-stands-out/
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bentham-project/who-was-jeremy-bentham/panopticon
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