History and Debate of Internet Censorship
Censorship refers to any action taken by a society to control
access to ideas and information. Throughout history, many
different types of societies, including democracies, have used
censorship in various ways. The issue is increasingly important
due to the rapid development of new communication technology.
As innovators continue to create new ways for people to share
information, many people are now arguing over the issue of
censorship.
Pros and Cons of the Internet Censorship Debate
For the proponents of censorship, restricting the access of
information is something that can provide benefits to society. By
censoring pornography on the internet, children are less likely to
encounter it. By censoring certain types of images and videos,
society can prevent offensive or vulgar material from offending
those that it targets. For example, some would argue that society
should censor material that is insulting to a particular religion in
order to maintain societal harmony. In this way, censorship is
viewed as a way to protect society as a whole or certain
segments of society from material that is seen as offensive or
damaging.
Some argue that censorship is necessary to preserve national
security. Without using any kind of censorship, they argue that it
is impossible to maintain the secrecy of information necessary for
protecting the nation. For this purpose, censorship protects a
state's military or security secrets from its enemies who can use
that information against the state.
Those who are against censorship argue that the practice limits
the freedoms of speech, the press and expression and that these
limitations are ultimately a detriment to society. By preventing free
access to information, it is argued that society is fostering
ignorance in its citizens. Through this ignorance, citizens are
more easily controlled by special interest groups, and groups that
are able to take power are able to use censorship to maintain
themselves. Additionally, they argue that censorship limits a
society's ability to advance in its understanding of the world.
Another main issue for those who are against censorship is a
history of censorship abuse. Those who argue against censorship
can point to a number of examples of dictators who used
censorship to create flattering yet untrue images of themselves
for the purpose of maintaining control over a society. They argue
that people should control the government instead of the
government controlling its people.
(SOURCE: http://www.debate.org/internet-censorship/ accessed
on 19/02/16 at 3:10 pm).
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