Should We Censor The Internet?

The world is changing quickly, and the Internet is now an important part of our global culture. Not everyone is comfortable with these changes, and there has been a lot of talk about censoring the Internet, particularly when it comes to children. But there are a few points one must bear in mind while talking about censorship of the internet, namely the fundamental—principles underlying the founding of the internet which is “free and universal access to information”. The second point to note is the feasibility to censor a network the size of the internet.

The internet is so useful and so widely used because it does not discriminate about what information can be placed on it. No matter what your interest or need, you can find information on it on the internet. The Internet can be a level playing field for adults and children. It gives people a voice they would not have otherwise. That being said, the internet is a computer based system, it can be cracked or in other words it can be hacked in to by professional hackers. That is why censoring the Internet is important because there could be hackers hacking government computers and accessing sensitive information. If the internet wasn’t being censored it would be impossible to find who did it and where they did it from. The growing concerns about pedophiles luring their victims through chat rooms are another reason for advocating censorship.

In practice, most of the regulation is carried out by Internet Service Providers (ISP). If you want to publish a site, you need access to an ISP. This means accepting a whole range of conditions restricting what you can publish. This includes any material considered to be causing annoyance or inconvenience. This is what the industry refers to as censorship. Unlike the courts, there is no need to prepare a case for the prosecution, there is no defense, there is no public discussion since the ISPs do not have to tell the public why sites have been removed, and no process of appeal or redress.

In the end the answer to the question is that people need to be able to decide and make up their own minds based on their experiences and need of the internet.