Pornography on the Internet

There are many countries that don’t allow the use of the internet at all and some countries only censor what they don’t want their citizens to know. Daniel Calingaert said “The internet has provided greater space for free expression in countries where traditional broadcast and print media are restricted” (64). Free expression is a very guarded privilege to United States citizens. Private citizens and businesses can censor what is accessed on their computers to protect themselves, so why would it not be acceptable for the government to censor what is accessed in order to protect the citizens of the United States of America. Some believe this is an infringement of free speech, while others find censorship of the internet a necessary evil in today’s cyber world.

If the United States government really wanted to censor the net, there is only one solution - shut down all network links of other countries. But of course that would mean no Internet access for the whole country and that is disgust by the whole nation. Secondly, everyone has their personal judgment values. The decision of some people cannot represent the whole population of those using the net. Many people debate that pornography on the net should be censored because there are kids online.

Of course its wrong. The government has no right to exercise control over the internet. The internet was made to provide a platform where information could be published and accessed freely by all without regulation. It is in our best interest that the internet remains free of government control. While it's true that internet censorship helps the government prevent spread of information that could incite violence, it also gives rise to dictatorship.

To those people who are found guilty of this crime could face up to two years in prison and fines of as much as $250,000. Pornography is still available on then net but when this law is implemented its going to drastically change the Internet as a whole. The law makes it illegal to knowingly transmit obscene or indecent material to a minor. There are some protection to online service providers such as America Online, and Prodigy, whose systems are used for such transmissions. Controlling cyberporn has raised many first amendment questions when the government tries to regulate who controls the flow of that information.

As technology has developed and become essential to our society, many government commissioners dread social media and its authority and power in our society – but does this give them the authority to monitor online content? This means that the government would have access to personal and confidential information that the public display on the internet. Tom Baker, a liberal democratic MP, stated that social networking sites have replied that social networking sites consist of hypersensitive exclusive details about its users and Mr. Baker troubled that the data could possibly be exposed from all government-controlled database. Another newspaper, The Independent, cited him stating related strategy to keep phone and email files threatened to be the "most expensive snooper's charter in history". "It is deeply worrying that they now intend to monitor social networking sites which contain very sensitive data like sexual orientation, religious beliefs and political views," Mr. Bake... ... middle of paper ... ...as people should have their privacy when surfing the internet.

It is worth mentioning that as an opponent of censorship, I certainly do not encourage the violence and aggression that can be found online; big digital companies in particular are an arena for demonstrations of offenses, provided that they enable anyone to post their thoughts publically while hiding behind their computer. I... ... middle of paper ... ...e are matters that should never occur in a child’s life. While some people claim that censorship completely solves these issues, this is not the case. It is the parents’ job to make sure that their kid is not exposed to these kinds of websites. Besides, it is possible for them to use browsers that will edit out offensive and inappropriate material for young users.

Cyber bullying is different from school bullying because the teachers have no ability to intervene. Cyber bullying is dangerous ... ... middle of paper ... ...media literacy. In conclusion, the advancement in technology has presented the young people with phones, which have high definition cameras and webcams. The young people have exploited these devices by taking photos of themselves and posting them on social sites. However, these photos may land on the wrong hands placing the owners on the direct threat from cyber bullies, sex predators, identity thieves, and fraudsters who defraud them their valuables.

Another problem that also arises from the use of internet filters and blocks is that it is a direct violation of the freedom of speech granted by the constitution. Because of the many burdens and problems internet censorship brings, it is of great importance that we keep our American internet just like our country, free. Internet censorship is nothing original for many people around the world. Several large countries around the world have been using this form of communication blocking to channel the actions of the internet away from what users... ... middle of paper ... ...Republic of China. (2001): 5.

Censorship would damage the freelance atmosphere on the Internet where freedom to express ideas is what most of us enjoy so much. If the Government steps and ceases control of the Internet it wouldn’t be any different than Communism or even Dictatorship. Therefore our Government should not encourage censorship. To underst... ... middle of paper ... ...html> 7.Howard Rheingold, Rheingold’s Tomorrow: Why Censoring Cyberspace is Dangerous & Futile, 1995, 2 June 2004, <http://www.well.com/www/hlr/tomorrow/tomorrowcensor.html> 8.Corn-Revere, New Age Comstockery: Exam vs. the Internet Policy Analysis No.232, 1995, Diss. Howgan & Hartson Law Firm.

While many adults have and will use the Internet to achieve pornographic nirvana, children need to be kept out of its confines. Censoring can only be taken so far before someone's Constitutional rights are infringed upon. The most practical and effective way to ensure your child's safety is to talk to them about the hazards of the internet and to monitor who and what they interact with while surfing the web.