Abstract

The article takes inspiration from a recent judgement of the European Court of Human Rights, in order to assess the actual level of protection of freedom of speech in Europe, making a comparison with the one attained in the United States. Conclusions reached by the author are twofold: as a matter of fact, commercial speech funded by multinationals appears to be more protected than free speech aiming to promote alternative lifestyles, not aligned to the dominant Western consumerist model; the current European Court, with jurisdiction spread over 47 States, appears unable to alter the established social order of the signatories of the Convention granting its powers.