Internet Censorship Essays

Patrick Cloonan, teacher at Manheim School District, reported to Hi-Lite Online that while some websites like YouTube have inappropriate content, it can also have beneficial materials for students. In the text it said, students have better research without web filters. This confirms that students could be asked to do an assignment and the websites that are restricted are not able to be used by those students (“NYT”).

It is important to know that many corrupt actions occur to try and censor content in many countries. Some examples are the ones mentioned before. In china, for instance, the government blocks most of the social networks. The same happens in Vietnam and Egypt. By doing this they're violating the right of freedom of its users. This is also due to the country's political position. One thing to recognise is that some countries do try to ban content related to pornography and violence.

Censoring the internet would also protect the minds of citizens from corrupt propaganda. Propaganda that is placed by the government is generally misleading and discourages deep thinking. An example is Obama’s campaign in 2008. “People loved [Obama’s campaign], but many did not understand what type of change he was talking about. Such propaganda stirred passions and made people feel good, but it did not allow people to think critically about the issues. Rather, Obama smartly played off anti-incumbent sentiment that was sweeping the nation” (Snowball 71). Other times, the government will place propaganda on the internet to influence citizens to take a certain action. According to John Turner, “voters are being misled by the propaganda of think tanks and the Coalition.” Propaganda serves as part of government coercion. The propaganda seems to be an encouragement of action,

Censorship has been a touchy topic over the past few years. Everyone has their own opinion on the topic, but the fact is censorship is way more damaging than people may notice. First off, the definition of censorship is to restrain, block, and censor ideas and information that some may find offensive. The basic definition of censorship completely violates the First Amendment. We, as Americans, have the right to Freedom of Speech. Censorship blocks that by blocking anything some may find offensive. It’s not fair because they’re blocking out how people feel/think just because someone found it “offensive” or wrong. It completely contradicts the First Amendment. People have the right to know about the world and what’s happening. Keeping the

The internet is a place where people from all over the world can connect with others who have similar interests as well as share information on almost any topic. While the internet has brought us closer together as a global society some people believe that what is on the internet should be censored. While the content of the internet should have to comply with the laws of the country it is being accessed in I do not believe that there should be any further restrictions as to what viewed on the internet.

However, those who are against censorship on the Internet believe that it violates their right to free speech. Because the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates radio and television, Internet users believe this is the only available forum that guarantees the open exchange of ideas. The freedom of expression is a right guaranteed to Americans and therefore should not be restricted by the government.

Being able to censor a website based off of content is another fallacy. Putting aside morals of right or wrong of content, the simple fact of what one country considers legal, is not always considered legal in another. However, this site is still available to be browsed by one citizen or resident of one country to another as part of being interconnected through the world wide web, in order to truly consider censoring this information, the other country would have to either disengage a form of connections (which is nearly impossible without disabling all connections), and or, have to go into said country and destroy the computer and or, data that is housing and sharing the information. This act is commonly thought as intrusion and can create wars between the two nations. Not to mention the fact of the said country having to literally probe into the other country’s database and locate the person’s location.

The Internet has incurred a tremendous amount of growth and opportunity for the country as well as the world; elevating communication, information, and commerce to a new level. With all this unprecedented innovation, the Internet has also brought controversy that challenges the very foundation of rights that countries like the United States were founded on. With countless websites containing unregulated and objectively offensive content, and the public having an ease of access to this content will result in severe damages to the development of the youth if no censorship is put in place for them to view this content. Additionally, markets are being exploited by piracy which has resulted in billions of dollars being lost by the domestic economy

I think that web filters are a bit too restrictive, because sometimes you could be trying to do research on, lets say, a plant. When you’re trying to find information about a plant, you click on a website that seems like a reliable source, but it's blocked because it is a “forum” website, only because it has a comment section, or going on Pandora to listen to music so you can focus on your work. I’ve done that before, and it works, but no, I get to hear lunatics ramble about Alabama all because no music is allowed.

Censorship is necessary to protect children from the internet. Internet censorship is subjected to government control of the ideas and information that can be accessed, published, or viewed on the internet by the society. We do not want the future generations to be exposed to violence, sex, hate, illegal substances, and false information. Children get easily influenced by the content they search, watch or read, which could be dangerous. The children should not be allowed to access these dangerous and inappropriate information. If today’s generation is viewing these things right now, it could mean that future generation can also view it and become more violent and this could cause the world to become more dangerous than it already is. Censorship

An organization called Green Garage, says that the censors of the internet disables the freedom of speech. Apparently, disabling the freedom of speech is not listening to the rule of the First Amendment, according to Green Garage. The internet helped people around the world to express their thoughts and opinion. Internet censorship only destroys your imagination. This may be true, but the internet could show images that most would find disturbing and inappropriate. The things that one might like to show to the world, should be kept to themselves, or somewhere else where kids and adults would not have to look, or deal with. Also, kids can find themselves on a website that could lure them into something dangerous. Censorship should be necessary to keep most people

Educational websites are blocked. The filters are put in place without enough thought blocking websites that should be accessible. Schools don’t take a role in blocking websites. A 2003 study by the EFF and online policy group found that even schools use filtering software. Schools should start blocking websites by there self.

Teachers need to incorporate the use of firewalls, filtering software and AUP’s into the classroom to practice ethical use of technology in the classroom. Firewalls will protect the classroom and home computers from unwanted viruses. The firewall detects when a virus is being introduced to the network and will take measures to keep the virus from infecting a computer. Filtering software is important because it will not allow students to view unwanted material or websites (Shelly, G, Gunter, G, and Gunter, R 2012). Teachers

Some people wonder who came up with the idea of internet censorship. Other people want to know which countries use it. Some ponder over the idea of what really is internet censorship. Internet censorship is controlling what can be viewed, and which sites can be used on the internet. Some things about internet censorship are countries that use it, and who started the idea of it.

Internet censorship is developing far and wide and influences us, regardless that as United States citizens, we have additional technological opportunities than what many other nations do. Numerous Americans underestimate the opportunities that living in the United States permits us. Whether we are sending electronic mail, posting on our social media pages, or seeking out the latest news, we are ensured the opportunity of self-expression and an inexhaustible amount of information right at our fingertips. Censorship takes control of people's expression, and many countries, governments, and leaders support it for this reason. Internet Censorship in the United States in comparison to different nations brings to light the global and ethical issue regarding the basic human rights of education, communication, and freedom.