  There appears to be a dilemma between the freedom of expression and
protection from the adverse effects of uncivil political expression online.
While previous studies have revealed various factors that affect attitudes
toward freedom of expression and speech restrictions, it is less clear whether
people have intergroup biases when forming these attitudes. To address this
gap, the present study conducted a pre-registered online survey experiment and
investigated people's attitudes toward uncivil political expression by
randomizing its in-group and out-group affiliations. The results revealed that
people tend to perceive uncivil political expression directed from an out-group
toward an in-group as more uncivil, compared to the expression originating from
an in-group toward an out-group. This difference subsequently influences their
inclination to endorse speech restrictions when faced with uncivil political
comments: stronger support for restrictions on expressions from the out-group
toward the in-group as opposed to those from the in-group toward the out-group.
These findings should serve as a wake-up call to public opinion that advocates
for restrictions on uncivil political expression.
