Free Speech and Internet

3 Pages 728 Words

Internet: An Unrestricted Global Media
Should it be illegal to publish literature with "indecent" content on the Internet but perfectly legal to publish that same work in print? This question has spawned the debate over Internet censorship, which is currently raging in the United States Congress as well as in other political forums around the world. The question as to whether the Internet should be censored will continue to be debated for many years to come. As with any political topic, the debate over Internet censorship has its extremes. Many proponents of Internet censorship want strict control over this new information medium. These proponents suggest creating laws for the Internet similar to those now in place for television and radio. Those strongly opposing Internet regulations, such as the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC), assert that the Internet is not like a television and should not be regulated like one. Both sides base their respective arguments on how they view the new information mediu!
m. Though the laws that Congress is proposing to regulate the Internet are well intentioned, I strongly believe that the Internet should not be censored. Any law encroaching on the people's right to free speech is an obvious breach of First Amendment rights and because laws limiting Internet speech are too broad and unenforceable on this global medium.

Today's youth has the ability to look up a variety of materials on the Internet. One source of heated debate is the availability of bomb recipes on the Internet. Should people be allowed to publish these instructions on such a public forum, or should the government, instead, step in and regulate? Some argue that since the government already censors television and the print media, it should take steps to censor the Internet as well. Censorship is an extremely sensitive issue. It infringes upon the First Amendment rights of an individual. Some people, however, feel that th...