Internet Censorship
As the end of the twentieth century nears, a new medium and tool has emerged as the future of communications, business, news, education, and entertainment. This tool is the Internet, a worldwide network of computers currently connected by phone lines. While it is still in its infancy, its power as a medium is very great, and this is being recognized ever more frequently by the businesses and people it connects. However, it is also abundant with information that is considered inappropriate, adult, and/or vulgar by many people. Many social groups and politicians are alarmed at how children and teenagers can readily access this material. Around the world, the call has gone out for restriction ...
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cause discontent and unrest in some cases. Whether the Internet should and can be censored is one debate which affects much of the modern world. Though there are strong arguments on both sides, by examining evidence it can be decided that there is no feasible way to regulate the Internet at the present time in the United States. Before any censorship can even be attempted, some serious questions must be answered. The most important of these is "What is the Internet's identity?" What this means is that the type of media the Internet represents has not yet been determined. It must be decided whether the "Net" is considered a broadcast system, which could be subject to regulation, or a communications system like phone and mail systems, which could not be legally regulated (Jones, 18). Additionally, values and morals must be questioned. Many people believe that responsibility should be handled between parents and children, not by the government. The American people and people around ...
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be applied to the Internet. Before any action can be taken, these questions and countless others must be answered. Another reason the Internet is not censurable is because of its vastness. The Internet contains chat groups and newsgroups, which are bulletin boards where individuals can "post" messages. These messages can be read by anyone in the world and are so numerous that they are impossible to regulate. On average, there are about 10,000 chat groups available on each Internet service provider (James, 26). The huge number of messages sent each day would be impossible to control and regulate by any current means. Also, the term "indecent" has not yet been clearly defined. Because of ...
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Internet Censorship. (2008, April 3). Retrieved December 22, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Internet-Censorship/81516
"Internet Censorship." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 3 Apr. 2008. Web. 22 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Internet-Censorship/81516>
"Internet Censorship." Essayworld.com. April 3, 2008. Accessed December 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Internet-Censorship/81516.
"Internet Censorship." Essayworld.com. April 3, 2008. Accessed December 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Internet-Censorship/81516.
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