Censorship of the Internet and the Tyranny of Our Government
"To curtail free expression strikes twice at intellectual freedom, for
whoever deprives another of the right to state unpopular views also deprives
others of the right to listen to those views," said Oliver Wendell Holmes,
Jr(Censorship and the U.S. Government 1). I completely agree with Mr. Holmes,
and when the question of censoring the Internet arises, I cringe. Governing the
Internet dominates many debates, censorship leading the fight. The Internet is
the largest and most accessible form of mass media available today. It allows
anyone with a few simple tools to consume, and produce, information and ideas to
hundreds of people at a practically non-existent cost. Numerous factors
indicate censorship of this force is not possible, and not the government's
place. It should be left up to the users to decide what is broadcast. Most
importantly, censorship of the Internet impairs the expression of ideas and
infringes against the First Amendment of the Constitution.
First of all, censoring the Internet as a whole is not possible, so why
even try? Cyberspace is the most decentralized form of communication today
making policing the Internet a virtually futile task. Unlike television or
radio, the Internet consists of thousands of individual computers and networks,
with thousands of speakers, information providers and information users, and no
centralized distribution point (ACLU vs. Reno Brief 1). No guards watch to see
who goes where and if that place is appropriate. The Internet has grown to be a
global network. Just because one country deems something inappropriate does not
mean that another will comply with the decision and follow the ruling. If
posting pictures of bestiality was banned in China, for example, someone in
Switzerland could post those pictures and the Chinese would have access to every
single bit of data. Another example, this being completely factual, occurred in
Ontario... [continues]
"To curtail free expression strikes twice at intellectual freedom, for
whoever deprives another of the right to state unpopular views also deprives
others of the right to listen to those views," said Oliver Wendell Holmes,
Jr(Censorship and the U.S. Government 1). I completely agree with Mr. Holmes,
and when the question of censoring the Internet arises, I cringe. Governing the
Internet dominates many debates, censorship leading the fight. The Internet is
the largest and most accessible form of mass media available today. It allows
anyone with a few simple tools to consume, and produce, information and ideas to
hundreds of people at a practically non-existent cost. Numerous factors
indicate censorship of this force is not possible, and not the government's
place. It should be left up to the users to decide what is broadcast. Most
importantly, censorship of the Internet impairs the expression of ideas and
infringes against the First Amendment of the Constitution.
First of all, censoring the Internet as a whole is not possible, so why
even try? Cyberspace is the most decentralized form of communication today
making policing the Internet a virtually futile task. Unlike television or
radio, the Internet consists of thousands of individual computers and networks,
with thousands of speakers, information providers and information users, and no
centralized distribution point (ACLU vs. Reno Brief 1). No guards watch to see
who goes where and if that place is appropriate. The Internet has grown to be a
global network. Just because one country deems something inappropriate does not
mean that another will comply with the decision and follow the ruling. If
posting pictures of bestiality was banned in China, for example, someone in
Switzerland could post those pictures and the Chinese would have access to every
single bit of data. Another example, this being completely factual, occurred in
Ontario... [continues]
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