This essay talks about issues regarding Censorship of the Internet.
According to the textbook, censorship is a way used by governments or religious institutions to supervise or regulate the public access to offensive or harmful materials (Quinn 2012, p.496). Internet censorship applies the same discipline which regulates the public access to harmful content on internet. Nowadays, internet is a place with huge potential for growth. Statistics suggest that the total growth of new internet users is 566.4% from December 31, 2000 to 2012 (Internet World Stats 2012) (Refer to Appendix one). In the mean time, the resources and contents on the internet are growing rapidly at an uncontrollable rate. To some extent, there are almost no restrictions of these materials on the internet. Basically people can almost find everything they want on internet no matter the information they found is right or wrong. Is it necessary to censor the internet and restrict the access to harmful contents? This is a controversial topic that leads to a hot debate these years. Some people think censorship can work effectively and is necessary on internet, while others think not. In the main part, the essay will explain and give evidence about how censorship can work in some cases but may become negatives in others.

There is no doubt that internet censorship can work in some cases, especially when it comes to some vulnerable groups on internet such as children, youth and the old. One of the obvious instances for internet censorship would be the declaration of Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) by Federal Communications Commission, which aimed to protect children from accessing to obscene or harmful content on the Internet. The protection measures include three parts: blocking or filtering the internet access to child pornography, obscene materials and preventing harmful materials to minors (Federal Communications Commission, 2001). Based on the survey on youth in the Silicon Valley, 96% of the children ages from 10 to 17 use the internet and 88% of them have a computer at home (Kaiser Family Foundation 2003, p.19) (Refer to Appendix two). It can be seen that with the development of information technology, Children can easily access to the internet not only at home but at many places such as schools, libraries. That makes it harder for parents to guide their children on the internet all the time. If there is no certain censorship protecting children on internet, children may access to harmful information including dangerous concepts, violence, cyber bullying, cyber stalking and child pornography that they shouldn’t be exposed to at their ages. These kinds of materials potentially have very bad effects on children’s future recognitions and morality. The issue of CIPA can censor the internet that prevents harmful materials doing damage to children on internet. It’s very important to make everyone clear that providing harmful materials to children are wrong, so internet censorship on this aspect can work properly and need to be done to help children.
Internet censorship can also work in the case of copyright infringement on internet. It is illegal to download or use any product that under the protection of copyright policy. Users on internet are not allowed to use those products without the permission of the copyright holders. However, the misuse of copyrighted resources such as pictures, music, films are quite common on internet currently. In US, piracy is common, 46% of the adults downloaded music, TV shows or movies for free (The American Assembly 2011, p.2) (Refer to Appendix three). Thousands and millions of people are committing copyright crime on internet every day. Some of them know exactly what they are doing, while others have no idea they are breaking the law. Although copyright infringement is illegal, so many people still utilize these resources because they are easy to get. More importantly most of these resources are free. However, it is unfair to the copyright owners because their rights are being violated (Andrews 2005, p.4). Internet censorship is a way to protect the rights of copyright owners. For example, there is a non-profit company called Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) which is set up by Australian authors, visual artists, journalists, photographers and publishers to protect and control their copyrights. Every member gives CAL a non-exclusive license with regard to their works. The code of product for CAL is designed to make sure that the rights of all members are clearly stated, and the process of collecting their own works is transparent and approachable. No one can copy their materials from the internet without their permission (Copyright Agency Limited 2009, p.2). Those websites that commit copyright infringement would be blocked. It’s really hard to eliminate the copyright problems on internet, but internet censorship can reduce or limit the possibility of copyright infringement to some extent.
Censorship can also work when it comes to sensitive issues on the internet. Due to political motivation, many groups or individuals provoke the internet users against the government. It’s a dangerous action that may lead to strife throughout the nation in the future. Apparently, these groups and individuals are agitators, hoping to cause conflicts between people and government. These illegal activities should be censored on internet. Another sensitive issue would be the terrorist and racist organizations on internet, internet is a powerful tool for terrorist and racist, usually these organizations have their own website; they threaten and insult internet users from different countries by sending or uploading videos on their websites. Censorship can work during an emergency like terrorist attack; it can control rumors and scare throughout the country (Conway 2007, p.25-27). Censorship on internet can limit these kinds of sensitive actions by using filtering system and supervising the internet. Censorship can guide internet users to have positive attitudes towards internet and deny websites that provide information about terrorism and racism.
Generally, in those supporters’ views, internet is completely in a mess if there is less censorship or even no censorship. It is quite necessary to censor at least some aspects of the internet. People are sneering and insulting each other on the internet every day, but no one would care about or trying to solve these problems. Censorship does not mean restrain people on internet. On the contrast, sometimes it’s a way to protect them.