Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has placed a serious and timely issue on the table for public debate: how democratic societies should respond to the growing abuse of technology to spread misinformation, destroy reputations and undermine public trust.

His warning to Commonwealth parliamentarians is especially relevant in an age when artificial intelligence, automated systems and social media have made it easier than ever to manufacture and distribute falsehoods at extraordinary speed. But there is another dimension to this problem that deserves equal attention — the increasingly devious behaviour of some human beings who hide behind the cloak of free expression while using digital platforms to hurt, humiliate, and destroy others.

These people represent a deception of free speech. They are not defending liberty; they are abusing it.

Free expression is one of the foundations of a democratic society. It protects the right to criticise governments, challenge powerful people, express unpopular opinions and participate robustly in public debate. But freedom of speech has never meant freedom from responsibility. The right to speak does not create a right to deliberately lie, maliciously defame, threaten or viciously attack another person without consequence.

Social media has, for some, become the Wild West of libel and slander. Behind the protection of a keyboard and a screen, or a cellphone, individuals who might never have the courage to say such things face-to-face unleash a torrent of abuse and filth on others. Reputations can be damaged in minutes, while the victim may spend years trying to repair the harm.

Those who engage in such behaviour should pause and imagine themselves on the receiving end. How would they feel if their name, family, livelihood or character were subjected to the same lies, insults and vicious personal attacks they so casually inflict on others? Would they still dismiss it as “just free speech” if they were the target?

Technology itself is not the villain. Artificial intelligence is capable of enormous good, just as social media can strengthen communication and democratic participation. The danger lies in what irresponsible people choose to do with these powerful tools.

That is why Mr Holness is right to insist that this matter deserves attention. The threat does not respect national borders. False information can originate anywhere, cross jurisdictions instantly and reach thousands or millions before the truth has had an opportunity to catch up. Nations therefore cannot afford to treat the problem as merely an unfortunate feature of modern political life.

Yet the answer cannot simply be to silence disagreement or give governments unchecked power to determine what citizens may say. Any response must carefully protect legitimate free expression while establishing appropriate consequences for deception, malicious character assassination, threats and other genuinely harmful conduct.

Democracy depends not only on the freedom to speak, but also on the integrity with which that freedom is exercised.

The digital age has given humanity extraordinary power to communicate. We must demonstrate the maturity to use that power responsibly. Free speech is precious. That is precisely why it should not be allowed to become a weapon in the hands of those who deliberately use it to deceive.