Freedom Of Speech

I believe that freedom of speech is one of life’s fundamental human rights but so is a right to privacy.  So it’s no surprise that I’ve unresolved issues over the appropriateness of posting comments likely to offend or encroach on another’s right to privacy on a public internet forum.  Although I’m an occasional poster myself, I’m much more of a lurker who reads with incredulity, the sort of comments considered appropriate for a public arena.  I wonder if people genuinely don’t care (publish and be damned) or are so naïve they don’t realise that what they write may be libellous