Internet Censorship Essays

Internet Censorship Essays
Internet Censorship
There is a growing debate about censoring the internet. Some people think that the internet is protected under the first ammendment and cannot be
censored. Others think that some of the material that is on the net needs to be filtered and regulated. The word censorship is defined as examining any
material and prohibiting what is objectionable, according to Webster's II dictionary. Censoring theinternet is a violation of the first ammendment rights
of every citizen in the United States. There are two general truths that some people feel are attitudes towards censoring the internet. The first is that
very few people admit to favoring it. The second is that no matter who you are, in a matter of minutes...show more content...
Many teachers try to teach their students responsibility. This can be done in many ways, one of which is through the internet policy in our schools. By
not censoring the internet and trusting children to make the right decisions they can get a boost of self–esteem that so many children need these days
(Nellen 53). The filtering devices can obstruct a teacher in their quest to teach their students. For example, Ted Nellen wanted to use to obtain some
information on the AIDS virus to help him teach his class. He tried to get information of the internet at the school he teaches at and found that to be
impossible because the filtering devices that were installed worked (Nellen 53).
Another question that needs to be asked is who are the people that are determining whether a site should be filtered or not? Just because they find
something offensive does not mean that there is not some one out there who would find the site unoffensive. These people can filter what is put on the
internet, so what is stopping them from doing this sort of thing in other areas of American culture. Filtering the internet is not the answer to the
problem. Children and adults should be educated on what is right and wrong on the internet and not treated like they are criminals (Nellen 53).
The software that is available for the purpose of internet filtering and blocking has been able to block out certain web sites, but
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Internet Censorship Essay example
Censorship of the Internet
"We should demand that all public schools and libraries install and configure Internet Filters." This statement shows how Jeffery Pollock, a candidate
for the 3rd Congressional District seat in Oregon, views the Internet. Unfortunately for him, the one thing that he ranted and raved about was the one
thing that gave him an unfair disadvantage in the in the upcoming elections. (Blind Ballots) Cyber Patrol, One of the leading Internet censoring
companies and is used in over 17,000 schools in the Untied States, actually blocked his website from potential voters. Needless to say, when Mr.Pollock
discovered this injustice, some of his views about Internet censorship changed. But Mr. Pollock isn't the only...show more content...
It would be beneficial to censor the Internet in schools if the censoring program actually worked; sadly none of the programs are good enough and
actually do more harm than good. If there is a student who wants to find porn on the Internet, he will because the censoring programs suck. Not only
will he find the porn, but also he will not get into trouble for it because since it is censored only good sites that are approved are available. When I
was in high school, I did an Ecology paper and the censoring program actually blocked out informational internet pages about black bears and bullfrogs,
simply because it contained information about mating habits, which is ridiculous.
Many highly respectable organizations are completely against Internet censorship. One such organization is the American Library Association or
ALA. The ALA is against any type of censoring software or programs in any of their affiliations across the nation. In Fact, a line in the ALA code of
ethics specifically states, "We uphold the principles of intellectual Freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources."(Weckert 44) There is no
mistaking that the ALA is against censorship. Another highly regarded source is The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, In this Article 19 states
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and
import information and ideas through any

Internet Censorship Essay
Internet Censorship
Presently, it seems that the Internet is playing a very important role in everyone's daily life. This multipurpose network has many different functions
useful for everyday work and entertainment. Due to the freedom of the Internet various debates and protests have come to disagree with its open form
of communication. Because of the misuse of the internet many people believe that there should be some kind of internet censorship, while others are
against internet censorship stating that "it is both unnecessary impossible to implement and that because of its nature the internet should be afforded
the same freedom and protection as the print media" (Bradsher 2). People that are in favor of internet censorship...show more content...
This makes it impossible to stop juveniles using it to access pornography because there is no way of knowing someone's age. People can use the
Internet to impose themselves on others; anonymous email can be sent by people; people can log onto chat servers and interrupt by saying things,
which offend or upset those already communicating. "People who have had no access to pornography and other depravities are using the Internet to get
at something that they would otherwise never be able to see" (Society 38). While there are people favoring Internet censorship there are others that are
against it. Bradsher sates that "to censor the Internet would fundamentally harm it and destroy the equality, which makes it most popular – its freedom"
(3). People like and use the Internet because they feel they can come onto it, talk and email hundreds of others across the world. Debaters against
Internet censorship believe that there are simply too many users of the Internet to be able to ensure that one doesn't offend anyone. Many of the most
important newspapers and news organizations are moving to the Internet. "If censorship is introduced our national media will be severely curtailed in
a way which would never be acceptable if it were to be done to the print media" (Bradsher 3).
Those against Internet censorship state that "making commercial providers responsible for the activities or their customers is fundamentally unfair"
(Society 38). If a

The Internet distributes more information than any other medium in the world. There are several problems that have emerged along with the Internet,
"As soon as the public began to use the Internet, people began to express concern about its use" (Clark 1). Some groups feel that the World Wide Web
is dangerous because of it's open accessibility, whereas other groups see that the Internet is something that can be used to share knowledge globally.
The Internet should not be censored because censorship would restrict Americans' first amendment rights; regulations have been tried and have failed in
the past, and there are better methods of education and protection than censorship.
The rights put forth by the first amendment protect the...show more content...
In 1972, the Department of Defense began to oversee and finance the ARPA project and ARPA became DARPA.
Better technology was created and approved for use by the government in the mid–seventies, and in January, 1983, a major jump was made in how files
were transferred.
This was thought of by many to be the birth of the World Wide Web. From 1983 to 1995, several new characteristics were brought into the network to
improve and sophisticate it. On April 30, 1995, the Internet was released to the world; the government gave total control to the user and took all hands
off (The Internet's History and Development). The Internet was now growing at a huge rate and would not be slowed down.
By 1996 both Microsoft and Netscape were at war over which Internet web browser would prove to be the better of the two; there were 12.8 million
hosts, and half a million websites. In only a year the number of hosts was up to 19.5 million and there were one million web sites (History of the
Internet). The idea of a network between computers took a strong hold in the minds of Americans and all over the world. The idea sprouted faster than
almost any other technology known to man.
Also known as the "information superhighway" the Internet has almost limitless possibilities because Users can diagnose a 'virtual

Internet Censorship
"Internet Censorship." What does this mean to us? What is restricted? Censorship is summarily defined as the suppression of objectionable material.
That means that material such as pornography, militant information, offensive language, anti–religion, and racism would be restricted in use. Freedom
would not only be restricted to material placed on the web, but also what you could access, and where you could explore. Should the right of Freedom
of Speech be taken away from us on the Internet? Having stated this, should there be any restrictions and if so, what's the limit of censorship?
The Internet, with its unlimited access to any kind of information, is today's most commonly used tool used worldwide. This poses...show more
content...
As you can plainly see, censoring the schools Internet by putting key word blocks in is a loss of educational information for students. We need to give
them back what they need and get ride of all the pornography and terrorist sites on every school computer. As you can see, the problem with censorship
the Internet is that it takes away your rights, freedom of speech and the chance of acquiring useful information.
What people don't realize is the Internet is a medium of publication like books and magazines. They are so close to given the same rights that I don't
see why it's the Internet that needs some censorship. The internet gives you the right to: access pornography sites if you are over the age of 18, Have
cyber sex with anyone on the internet who will have it with you–no matter age, To visit sites that contain terrorist, racial, or militant activity, To practice
any religion you choose. The real world gives you the right to: Rent or buy pornography in the form of magazines and videos if you are 18 or older,
Have phone sex with anyone who will have it with you–no matter the age, To buy books, magazines, and videos that contain terrorist, racial, or militant
activity, To practice any religion you choose. The Internet is no worse the what's out in the world today. It is merely just an easier way for people to
communicate. Putting a censorship on the Internet when the same problems accure all the time in daily life is a complete waste of

Censorship on the Internet Essay
Censorship on the Internet
Five years after the first world wide web was launched at the end of 1991, The
Internet has become very popular in the United States. Although President
Clinton already signed the 1996 Telecommunication ActI on Thursday Feb 8, 1996, the censorship issue on the net still remains unresolved. In fact,
censorship in cyberspace is unconscionable and impossible. Trying to censor the Internet its problematic because the net is an international issue, there
is no standard for judging materials, and censorship is an abridgment of democratic spirit.
Firstly, censorship on the Internet is an international issue. The Internet was constructed by the U.S. military since 1960s, but no one actually owns it.
Thus, the Internet...show more content...
Why do people still argue about that?
It is all about personal points of views. Justice Douglas said, "To many the
Song of Solomon is obscene. I do not think we, the judges, were ever given the constitutional power to make definitions of obscenity."II. In cyberspace,
it is hard to set up a pool of judges to censor what could be displayed on the net.
Thirdly, censorship works against democratic spirit, it opposes the right of free speech and is a breach of the First Amendment. Do you remember
Salman
Rushdie and his book The Satanic Verses? Iranian government announced a death threat to kill Rushdie and his publishers because his book speaks
against Islam.
No one wants that to happen again. If you are one of the Internet users, you should have seen a blue ribbon logo. The blue ribbon symbolizes a
support for the essential human right of free speech. Let think about what happen if we lost the right of free speech. How can we stay online? Who
gives courage to the web's designers to put their opinion on the net? On the same day when the 1996
Telecommunication Act signed in law, a bill called House Bill 1630 was introduced by Georgia House of Representatives member Don Parsons. It is
so repel that this law even limits the right of choosing email addressesIII.
"Freedom of speech on the Internet deserves the same protection as freedom of the press, freedom of speech, or freedom of assembly." said Bill

All I wanted to do was shop for new shoes online, but instead I was staring at a webpage packed with lewd photographs. I was only 14. I certainly was
not looking to be directed to such a vulgar website; however, much to my dismay, I had simply mistyped the URL to a popular sporting goods store
and found myself face–to–face with something I was much too young to see. Unfortunately, this happens all too often. A staggering amount of young
children are accessing pornographic material online, whether they want to or not. In this day in age where just about everything is regulated in one
fashion or another, many are calling for the censorship of Internet pornography. While some say it is a necessity when it comes to the industry, others
...show more content...
This is the foundation of the conservative debate in favor of censorship. Many believe that it is government's role to protect us from harm (West). As
long as the government is protecting the well being of society, censorship of Internet pornography appears to be a legitimate means to an end. It would
seem to many that this is a solid foundation for their argument. So, following this lead, the Communications Decency Act of 1996 was imposed, a law
"making it a crime to display 'indecent' material on–line" (Net Mania). This law would essentially put measures in place to protect individuals from
unwanted pornographic encounters online. Problem solved, right? Wrong.
Just a short time later this very law was overturned, and to that I say thank goodness. My stance on censorship of the Internet may surprise some,
considering my all too graphic teenage experience with the Internet. However, I am a firm believer in the First Amendment. The Communications
Decency Act of 1996 was an honest attempt at a solution. Unfortunately, it was also unlawful. Which, therein, lays the basis for the liberal argument
against censorship. Trying to censor Internet pornography would be a clear violation of our rights under the First Amendment, namely, freedom of
speech. Not only that, but I see very little need for government intervention at all. "Legal moralism" is a nice concept, don't

Internet Censorship
The freedom of speech that was possible on the Internet could now be subjected to governmental approvals. For example, China is attempting to restrict
political expression, in the name of security and social stability. It requires users of the Internet and electronic mail (e–mail) to register, so that it may
monitor their activities. In the United Kingdom, state secrets and personal attacks are off limits on the Internet. Laws are strict and the government is
extremely interested in regulating the Intern et with respect to these issues.10 Laws intended for other types of communication will not necessarily
apply in this medium.
Through all the components of the Internet it becomes easy to transfer material that...show more content...
Ideas should not be checked at the border.14 Another person attending that conference was Ann Breeson of the Ame rican Civil Liberties Union, an
organization dedicated to preserving many things including free speech. She is quoted as saying, Our big victory at Brussels was that we pressured
them enough so that Al Gore in his keynote address made a big point of stre ssing the importance of free speech on the Internet.15 Many other
organizations have fought against laws and have succeeded. A prime example of this is the fight that various groups put on against the recent
Communication Decency Act (CDA) of the U.S. Se nate.
The Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition on 26 February 1996 filed a historic lawsuit in Philadelphia against the U.S. Department of Justice and
Attorney General Janet Reno to make certain that the First Amendment of the U.S.A. would not be compr omised by the CDA. The sheer range of
plaintiffs alone, including the American Booksellers Association, the Freedom to Read Foundation, Apple, Microsoft, America Online, the Society of
Professional Journalists, the Commercial Internet eXchange Association , Wired, and HotWired, as well as thousands of netizens (citizens of the
Internet) shows the dedication that is

Internet Censorship
Max walks into the classroom five minutes late, his shirt untucked and hardly buttoned. He sits down a few desks away from Ben who had arrived
five minutes early and was waiting patiently for class to start. Although the boys seemed completely opposite, Ben the more conservative and shy one,
while Max, a little more rebellious and mischievous, they were best friends and did most everything together.
A few weeks into their fifth grade year, the teacher announced that they would begin doing reports on their favorite animal. They knew that this was
the first year they were able to use the computer lab in the library and the idea of being able to use the internet excited them.
Mrs....show more content...
Howard had come up behind them and tapped them on the shoulder.
"What do you think you are doing kids?" she said.
"Uh, we just accidentally clicked on the wrong site" Max exclaimed, terrified.
"I don't think so mister, this is completely unacceptable. Both of you, follow me to the office right now!"
Mrs. Howard, infuriated yet shocked that they would do such a thing, walked them to the office and explained to the principle exactly what happened.
The two boys followed the teacher, almost in tears fearing what the principle would have to say to them. They knew they would have to face some
sort of consequences. Mrs. Howard spoke to Mr. Brooks, the principle, in private first and then let the boys meet with him after that. While the two
teachers were discussing the event, the boys whispered outside.
"I can't believe we got caught" said Max.
"I know, what are we gonna tell our parents? Mine are gonna kill me!" You could hear the fear in Ben's voice. He dreaded the moment that he would
have to tell his parents what he and Max had done that day. Max tried masking his fear with a careless attitude, and he played it off like he wasn't
really all that scared of getting in trouble.

"Whatever Ben, it's not that big of a deal. I don't care if we get suspended" Max said casually. Just then Mrs. Howard walked out and told the boys to
go talk to Mr. Brooks themselves. They walked in and sat down while their principle

Internet Censorship Essays

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Internet Censorship Essays