Internet Censorship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Internet Censorship - Research Paper Example The censorship also comes in the form of government-mandated blocking of access to materials which are not appropriate for adults. This approach is being carried out in Australia, China, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam (EFA). These countries require internet service providers to prevent material from reaching the internet users. Other countries only allow limited access to the net through government access areas (Bidgoli, p. 264). Internet censorship also comes in the form of government prohibition in public access to the internet. Different countries have been known to limit public access to the net, or they sometimes call for users to be licensed by the government before they can access the internet. The important consideration in the application of internet censorship is the fact that what is prohibited in one country may not be prohibited in other countries. Case in point is the rating of movies which may be different in different countries (EFA). In effect, what may be deemed R-18 in France, may only be classified as 12 in the US, or vice versa. In Australia, internet censorship consists of laws passed by the Commonwealth and the state governments. In 1999, the Broadcast Services Amendment (Online Services) Act of 1999 was passed (Moses). This law basically implements access prevention at server levels. The Commonwealth government of Australia is a complaints-based system which can be implemented to content hosts, but not to content creators (EFA). The hosts are mandated to remove Australian hosted material from the server which is labeled as objectionable upon receipt of orders from a government regulator. The Australian Broadcasting Authority informs the filtering software providers of the materials being sponsored beyond... This paper stresses that the world press has been very critical of internet censorship, most especially because it is their material which is often the subject of censors. They point out the fact that repressive regimes are fully benefitting from internet censors because they control and repress reform and debates. The above discussion exemplifies the extent of internet censorship around the world. These censors were originally set forth because of the pervasive use of the internet for child pornography. However, the censorship has now evolved into other materials and content; it now covers materials which are racist, anti-government, or anti-religion. This censorship has now been imposed in various territories in order to manage subversive content from inciting citizens to activities of civil unrest. For the most part, such censors seek to control people’s activities in the internet, stirring these away from the offensive and subversive activities. Some territories are howeve r not supporting internet censorship because it is part of the protected laws of their lands – mostly on the freedom of speech and expression. To this day, internet censorship remains to be a well-debated practice. On one side, it is supported for the benefits and protection it can give to the citizens and to peaceful governments and on the other, it is vilified for its suppressive and repressive implications. Regardless of its applications, the internet will continue to develop and evolve into an even more pervasive and widely used technology.