Arguments for and Against Improving the Freedom of Expression in Social Network Sites in China

774 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: internet censorship essay in china.

In the past few years, the social network of China has been developing rapidly with a considerable amount of new social network softwares and users. However, the government have a stringent policy on the freedom of expression in social network. The merits of improving the freedom of social network expression have been thoroughly debated. While some people expect a higher degree of freedom to speak out freely to express real thoughts easily, others concern on the network order. This paper examines both the arguments for and against improving the freedom of expression in social network and provides suggestions based on these arguments.
A number of network users strongly advocate canceling the shield of sensitive words. Yang’s (2003) research has proved that the shield of sensitive words make some net users more difficult to write down some thoughts, and these users have to use the words which are look or read similar to the sensitive ones. The consequence is that the sensitive words filter system leads to a difficulty on people’s writing and reading but make no sense on network safety or network environment. It is unproper to continue this sensitive words controlling policy for its immense side effects(Financial Times, 22 Match, 2011, p.6).
Some people including both government officials and common people, however, hold different opinions about filtering sensitive words, claim that several reports have shown that setting a sensitive words filter system is a worldwide approach to a better network environment (Klensin & Khare, 2003). For instance, in America, some words are in the list of the Department of Homeland Security to supervise the country safety. Besides, dirty words on the Internet are forbidden widely around the worl...

... middle of paper ...

...ina will have a rapid development which can please both government and network users.

References

Yang, G., 2003. The Internet and Civil Society in China: A preliminary assessment. Journal of Contemporary China, 12(36), pp.453-475.

Levmore, S. and Nussbaum, M. C., 2010. The offensive Internet: Speech, privacy, and reputation. New York: Harvard University Press.

Klensin, J. and Khare, R., 2003. U.S. Method of and system for controlling Internet access. Washington DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Ratkiewicz, J., Conover, M., Meiss, M., Gonçalves, B., Flammini, A. and Menczer, F., 2011. Detecting and Tracking Political Abuse in Social Media. In ICWSM.

Xi, R., 2005. The Internet, Freedom of Speech, and Social Transformation: An Examination of the Impact of Cyber-forums on Policy-making in China (Doctoral dissertation, State University of New York at Buffalo).

Show More
Related

  • Internet Privacy Laws in China

    2291 Words  | 5 Pages

    As domestic economies globalize, the line has blurred from where an item is built, where it is sold and where it is serviced. It provides opportunities for individuals in many communities to expand their knowledge and learn about other cultures. Outsourcing has flourished in China and it has enabled its citizens to hone their skills by broadening their education to learn new trades and has created new wealth in a rather lifeless economy. The internet and email has been the main force, for it provides people from all over the world the ability to communicate and learn about each other. The Internet is expanding people’s minds; it facilitates media reform, and to a certain degree may provide legal reform.

    Read More

  • CBA

    1383 Words  | 3 Pages

    If anyone is offended by what is said on the internet, then they can remember to not visit the webpage next time and hold themselves accountable. This paper will examine the issue of internet censorship constituting a violation of the American people, individual rights, common good, and the constitution. Many laws were proposed to censor the internet, most fail in Congress but 3 have succeeded.... ... middle of paper ... ...

    Read More

  • A Study of the Group Anonymous: Are they Hackers or Trolls?

    1556 Words  | 4 Pages

    Modern scholars have in the recent decades engaged in the controversial debate on the actual classification of the group Anonymous. Some scholars classify the group as trolls while other associates it with hackers groups. As defined, hackers are individuals or groups that search and exploit the computer system weakness (Messmer 65). In most instances, hackers engage in discouraging and unappealing activities for multiple reasons including challenging the existing systems, protesting against the prevailing rules and regulations, and for profit making. On the other hand, trolls are groups of individuals who engage in the process of sowing discord on the internet through instigating arguments that aim at upsetting community members and leaders (Keith 11). Trolls are also popular for posting off-topic, extraneous, and inflammatory information on the internet. Although hackers and trolls are the main actors in the current threatening cyber crimes, the two groups have varying reasons for abusing the existing technology. Moreover, despite the existence of detailed and intensive strategies to address the two groups of crime, the actors have been outshining the global policy implementers and formulators in numerous occasions (Messmer 65). However, based on the available evidence, the Anonymous group is more of a hacker group than a troll group.

    Read More

  • Hate Groups on the Internet

    3661 Words  | 8 Pages

    Technology has provided our society with numerous innovations that have been created to improve the quality of life on a daily basis. One such innovation is the Internet. The access to a wide variety of information is perhaps the most valuable tool, as well as the most important tool, that we have entering the twenty-first century. There are virtually no limits on how much can be achieved through the use of the Internet. This is not, however, necessarily a good thing. Most people find that offensive material such as child pornography and hate-related propaganda can be viewed by people too easily via the Internet. While child pornography is a detestable subject, it does not have the sort of appeal that a hate group website does in that there are stricter guidelines preventing individuals from attaining child pornography material from the Internet. These stricter guidelines include the Communications Decency Act (1995), which forbids the use of the Internet for such purposes as attaining material of a child pornographic nature (Wolf, 2000). This law can also be used to monitor the hate group websites, but since the law is too broad, it is rarely held up in court. The hate group websites do, however, have a large enough following that there is legislation being formed to specifically target the material on the sites. Despite the highly offensive nature of hate group websites, the sites should not be censored because the right to free speech must be preserved. In this paper we will define what is considered to be hateful content; why this hateful content should be protected; what else can be done to monitor this material on the Internet; and when are the people cr...

    Read More

  • America Needs Internet Censorship

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tears begin to fall down a child’s face. Her body goes into shock out of fear. Her mother warned her about watching inappropriate content, and there it was, right on her computer screen. This could not have happened though. All she was doing was casually browsing the internet before a pop-up appeared. Although it may seem hard to believe, the major cause of events such as this is the lack of censorship on the internet. Internet censorship relates to the removal of offensive, inappropriate, or controversial content published online. The current problem with the internet is that there are few restrictions on what can be published or viewed. Several sites on the internet only offer a warning about inappropriate content that can easily be bypassed by agreeing to the terms. Other websites provide access to private or military information. More dreadfully, however, are websites that use their explicit content as a promotion. These factors bring the conclusion that anybody of any given age can view and publish inappropriate or dangerous content. The current problems with the internet serve for clarification as to why the United States should create a nonpartisan assembly to censor the internet in order to protect its citizens from the mental, emotional, and physical harms the internet creates.

    Read More

  • Essay on Internet Privacy - Ethical Issues Raised by Privacy Service Providers

    2877 Words  | 6 Pages

    Abstract:  This paper examines the use of Internet technologies (specifically SafeWeb.com) to counteract invasions of personal privacy and censorship.  The paper begins by exploring the methods by which governments, corporations, and commercial agents invade personal privacy.  It also discusses Internet censorship on the corporate and governmental levels.  It then proceeds to discuss SafeWeb.com, a technology that allows Internet users to surf the Web privately and view censored content.  The paper finishes by exploring some of the ethical issues raised by Internet privacy and censorship in specific relation to SafeWeb, concluding that the application of SafeWeb in circumventing the authority of governments and corporations is inherently unethical.

    Read More

  • Freedom of Expression on the Internet: Comparison between Canada and the United States

    2532 Words  | 6 Pages

    “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press …” as stated by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution[1]. Most subsequent democracies have adopted this view as well, believing that it is a fundamental part of what makes a democratic system effective. For example, Canada has given their citizens the right to freedom of speech; but like the United States, they have placed certain limitations which restrict its usage. The limitations were put in place because the right to free speech had been abused, especially when considering its use in cyberspace. Freedom of speech in cyberspace is inherently a global issue because the Internet is so pervasive, so Canada and the United States are being extremely cautious by using preventative techniques. After looking at the ethical issues involved, I believe that speech in cyberspace should not be completely “free” and should be regulated by increasing the security measures placed on Internet websites.

    Read More

  • Democracy in China

    3306 Words  | 7 Pages

    Thornton, P., (ed.) (2010), ‘Censorship and Surveillance in Chinese Cyberspace: Beyond the Great Firewall’ In Gries, P. H., and Rosen, S., (eds) Chinese Politics (London and New York: Routledge).

    Read More

  • Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace

    2103 Words  | 5 Pages

    As the Internet has become more widely recognized and used by people all over the world, it has brought a new medium in which information can very easily be broadcast to everyone with access to it. In 1995 there was a projected 26 million Internet users, which has grown to almost 300 million today. One major problem with this is that everyone represents different countries and provinces which have different outtakes on certain types of freedom of speech as well as different laws about it. This proposes a new type of law that would need to be written in order to determine whether or not something is illegal on the Internet. A person in one country can express what they want to, but that expression may be illegal in another country and in this situation whose laws are to be followed? What I propose to do accomplish in this paper is to discuss the freedom of speech laws of the United States of America and those of France, China, and Canada. I will examine what about them is similar and what about them is different. The bringing of the Internet has brought many new types of businesses as well as ways in order to communicate with the world, but as with each new endeavor or invention, there needs to be a way in order to govern its use and policies. There must also be ways in order to punish those not following the new laws and policies of use, since that the country that the person is in may allow what they did, but it may not be allowed on the Internet or in a different country. In other words, there is the need for international laws governing the Internet.

    Read More

  • Cyber Bullying and Hate Speech

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    Banks, James. Regulating Hate Speech Online. (2010) International Review of Law, Computers & Technology. 2Vol. 24, No. 3, November 2010, 233−239

    Read More

  • Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace

    2593 Words  | 6 Pages

    Free speech on the Internet is a very controversial subject and has been the key problem surrounding the Internet today. The attempt to regulate and govern the Internet is still pursued by government officials. This subject has been intensified due to terrorist attacks against the United States and around world within the past years. The government believes that by regulating the Internet, it will protect the general public from criminal actions and eliminate the exposure of children to pornography or vulgar language. Senator Jim Exon of ...

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of Social Media On Personal Freedom

    1422 Words  | 3 Pages

    Data mining has four stages: collection, aggregation, interrogation and prediction (de Zwart et al 2014, p. 715-719). As with filtering, this process more often than not happens without the knowledge of users and regardless, it is “almost impossible” to prevent (p. 716). The importance of user consent has already been touched upon, as has the implications for the balance of power between social media platforms and the users. As social media implicitly exists for users to interact with one another , for the power to remain out of the hands of the users is especially problematic as it in many ways contradicts the supposed purpose of social media (Baym 2015, p. 1-2). More specific to data aggregation and interrogation, the power imbalance works against the freedom of expression and instead restricts the ability of the individual to control their own identity and the way it is presented. Data aggregation, or the collection of data over time, has no way or retaining context for specific actions or interactions (de Zwart et al 2014, p. 716). The previously discussed context collapse comes into play once more, as the way a individual may present themself in interactions with various other users may form what appears to be contradictory information. The interrogation of this data then becomes the

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Internet Access

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Accessing the cyberspace is the first right should be granted in order to have privilege of and exercise the rest of the human rights on the internet. The internet has a very big impact in people’s life and what they have become today, especially with all the opportunities this medium provide for them to exercise their basic human rights. It has allowed the freedom of many voices to be heard in ways that was merely impossible before this revolution. Not only it has given people the rights to express and associate, but also the right to education as it allows to access many educational materials. In fact, accessing this virtual place has become a necessity to fulfill many other human rights including the right to work, and the right to take part in country’s government. Therefore, internet access should be a public right that ensure information and internet accessibility, usability, and availability for all people regardless of gender, place, and income.

    Read More

  • Internet Censorship: Is It Really Necessary?

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Internet is an extremely educational and communicative tool. Everyone can access a tremendous amount of information and connect with people on the other end of the planet; it is capable of doing everything. Nowadays, the society is facing a variety of challenges and controversies which are mostly related to religion, morality, the economic crisis, etc., and the most talked-about issue in today’s world is “Internet censorship”. Although the Internet is very useful, many people are suggesting the idea of censoring the Internet; however, the government should not censor the Internet because a free and open Internet usage has many positive impacts on people’s lives.

    Read More

  • Public Opinion Meets the Internet

    1030 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Internet along with other technologies has opened channels of communication. Not only has the Internet played a great role in forming international public opinions regarding the United States throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Western Europe, but it has also helped to democratize the rest of the world by allowing them to voice their own opinions. However, sometimes the incited cyber public opinions would lead to some extremely negative behaviors and cause serious problems like cyber bullying, real life crimes, and even a long time social unrest.

    Read More

More about Arguments for and Against Improving the Freedom of Expression in Social Network Sites in China

Open Document