The Freedom Of Speech Across The World Wide Web

Most who argue against censorship believe that it goes against a person’s right to freedom of speech. Within this argument, most people wonder “just when, and on what grounds, the state is justified in using its coercive powers to limit the freedom of individuals” (West). When thinking in this mindset, individuals tend to antagonize the government, because they come to believe that it suppresses their individuality and fail to consider the fact that it unites people who share its similar beliefs. As a result of the recent spike in technology and use of the Internet, the public must continually alter its definition of freedom of speech and expression. As the media offers more and more methods of communication, many of which are relatively self-regulated by users, more methods of expression develop, which may render other forms of expression obsolete, or even socially unacceptable (Qazi). Without understanding how much freedom of speech one is entitled to, one may never hope to defend that freedom if it ever comes under attack. Because technology develops so quickly that one definition will hardly suffice for a short period of time, people will find it increasingly difficult to understand how much right to expression they are allowed and will therefore fight for any and all that they may attain, never considering the benefits of censorship in the slightest. In America especially, people idealize the idea of democracy, the investigation of truth, and independence (Fieser). In

Censorship has been used since the beginning of man’s history and is still prevalent in today’s modern world. First it is important to have an agreed upon definition of what censorship is. To give a basic definition of what censorship is: the control of the information and ideas circulated within a society. Many believe and argue that censorship is a violation of human rights which include freedom of express and speech. Those that argue this viewpoint also believe it is a government’s job to ensure the safety of their citizens the best way possible, which really contradicts with the concept and purpose of censorship. The best way to handle the situation of censorship during a time of war, in the United States, is to have the government release an outline to what is considered appropriate to be published to the public. Also have a committee overview the work of journalist reviewed before it is released and have the journalist sign an agreement to not break the code they must use to decide what information they can publish. The best way to handle the situation of internet censorship, in the United States, is to take a hands off approach and allow the internet to be freely accessed with no restraints by all those who choose to use it at their own risk.

Between trying to prevent obscene video content, shielding minors from harmful content, and the First Amendment protecting freedom of speech, it would be very rigorous for the government to actually change internet policies. The history itself shows that in order for the United States to be truly free, as intended to be in the U.S. Constitution, platforms such as the internet cannot be touched or messed with. Too many times has the government tried to make an effort and put energy into acts that have failed. Winston Churchill, a Prime Minister during WWII, once said “Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat

My reality was shattered as all my aspirations of making my life easier with the internet suddenly tumbled down into my stomach as it sank. I went back to working on my group project about an imaginary amendment being added to the constitution to strip the electoral college of its power. We were using google drive to streamline the work and I sank even lower to the ground. Google drive could be gone if a fat cat CEO decided something was wrong with google drive. This caused me to despise censorship. At this very moment I defined the scourge of humanity known as censorship as the denial of any piece of information or content to any person or persons who seek to find them. I was envigorated by this gut punch and starting to tell my family, friends, and teachers. I became so furious, but I also found out the rest of the internet was too. Huge companies such as Google, Wikipedia, and Mozilla were furious at the notion of limiting people's free speech and access to the internet. They organized an internet blackout out day where thousands of websites blacked out access to protest SOPA. This caused so much pressure and backlash on congress that they were forced to stop the bill. All my worries were washed away following this

Several years after the end of the American Revolution the United States Constitution was being drafted by some of the nations most important historical figures. Politicians such as Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and George Washington were just three of the thirty-nine who eventually signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787 (“United States Constitution,” 2015, “1787 Drafting,” para. 7). With the birth of the constitution, came the fear that our newly created nation might slip back under control of a monarchy once again. Therefore, on June 8, 1789, in order to combat such a situation, a group of anti-federalists headed by James Madison proposed a series of thirty-nine amendments to be added to the Constitution. These amendments were designed to guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government’s power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserve some powers to the states and the public (“United States Bill of Rights,” 2015, “Introduction,” para. 1). The first ten of the new amendments, arguably the most important of the thirty-nine, were thus labeled the Bill of Rights. Amendments in the Bill of Rights protect freedoms such as the right to bear arms, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, right to due process, right to trail by jury, protection from quartering troops, and finally the First Amendment, the right to freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and to petition the government (“United States

Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the Internet. This can include blocking entire websites, blocking parts of certain websites, prohibiting certain search engine keywords, monitoring individual internet use, and punishing individuals for this use. On a smaller scale, companies censor access to certain websites to increase productivity in workers or decrease chances of a sexual harassment lawsuit. Parents may block certain website on their family computers in an attempt to maintain their child’s innocence. On a much larger scale, entire governments can censor or track the Internet use of its constituents.

This paper addresses whether we should censor or block access to websites with controversial material. It looks at the issue from several sides: The relevant US laws that are in place, how censorship is used at the university and corporate levels, how other countries are attempting censorship, and finally what I feel about the topic.

The Internet’s continuous advancement has produced the need for an on-going debate on whether or not the government should have the power to control the Internet. The idea of the government having control over what each country’s citizens can see on the Internet is also called Internet Censorship. Internet Censorship “is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet.” Internet Censorship varies from country to country depending on each country’s current usage and philosophy of how it should be used. (toptenreviews.com) Currently, there are ten countries including

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

As Americans, we pride ourselves on having the ability to say what we want when we want to. This was a right given to us by the First Amendment of the Constitution. The act of censorship creates a barrier between media and freedom of speech. Due to the topic of censorship, many Americans have different opinions on if censorship is a violation of their rights as a citizen of the United States or if it is to preserve the wellbeing of the country. Before the internet became as powerful as it is today, the government reviewed every article, news report, and television show before being released for public viewing to prevent indecencies from occurring in the media. Consequently, as the media continues to flourish, it creates difficulties in the government being able to track everything that is online. Furthermore, the uprising of the internet creates more of a reason for censorship in the media, especially due to the increased use of the internet by children. Americans should include censorship in their everyday lives to a certain extent because of the violence in our country, to provide censorship for children, and to provide positive images.

Due to the direction censorship is heading in things are getting worse. There are many ways to bypass them. Everyone doesn't think information should be available to everyone. Everyone who wants to censor the internet wants everyone’s information to be accessible. Governments have the power to oppress their

The government does not give these rights to us, so the government cannot take them away or infringe on them (United States, Congress, House, Madison). However, due to the corruption and dishonesty of the federal government, these rights are constantly infringed on with internet censorship. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state informs the public that, “[they] must be wary of [government] agendas and [stay] united in [their] shared conviction that human rights apply online" (Clinton). Clinton explains the reason behind censorship: twisted and corrupt governments try to force their agendas online. That often can mean silencing critics, whistleblowers, and activists. By silencing these people, the government takes away their right to free speech and their right to a free press. Because these individuals cannot exercise their rights online, the government is violating basic human rights to commit evil. Thus, the government does not have the right to censor the internet because it is a violation of human rights. Government censorship also has a negative impact on all internet users, something the federal government does not have the right to do. Because, “when ideas are blocked, information deleted, conversations stifled, and people constrained in their choices, the internet is diminished for all of us. What

  Abstract:  The issue of free speech has been around since the founding fathers first ratified the constitution of the United States.  With the emergence of new technology, especially the Internet, freedom of speech has been redefined and its limits tested.  What are the limitations of free speech on the Internet, and how can they be enforced?  These are the constitutional questions for the digital age.

These days the internet has become an essential part to living for almost everyone but one of the controversial topics that people bring up is that whether or not the government should regulate information on the internet. Both sides have valid points which form a reasonable argument. Some people would say that they need to because of the dangers lurking around in the cyber world but the reasons for why the government shouldn’t regulate the Internet outnumber the reasons for why they should. The federal government should not regulate or censor information on the internet because doing so violates the first amendment and citizen’s right to privacy, degrades the educational value of the web, prevents the promotion and facilitation of

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.