internet censorship

Internet Censorship

Internet Censorship

Internet Censorship

Brandon Heberling

Composition 2

Internet Censorship Means No Freedom of Speech. On February 8, 1996, President Clinton signed the Exon Bill, part of the Communications Decency Act; a bill which makes the possibility to allow the government to censor the Internet, by any means it deems necessary. Under the CDA the "seven dirty words", as well as anything the government considers sexually explicit or "indecent", will be banned from the Internet. The CDA, however, will not be enforceable until all appeals made against it by organizations such as the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC), and the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), are resolved. Comment by Jill: This is a great 1st sentence. Catches the eye

The Internet is a worldwide medium for communication and the transfer of information. Restrictions such as censorship should not be placed upon the Internet. Instead of censorship and regulation by the government, we as users of the Internet should be able to practice self-regulation.

Censorship of the Internet violates the First Amendment of the Constitution, and thus robs us of our right to freedom of speech. Since cyberspace is a fairly new concept, any restrictions placed on the Internet by the CDA will determine the degree of freedom we enjoy on the Internet in future years. Enforcement of the CDA will rob us of a valuable source of information on subjects ranging from abortion and AIDS to birth control.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the CDA (Communications Decency Act), and the restrictions it places our First Amendment rights, many still support it, feeling that the Internet should be censored so that minors are not exposed to indecent, obscene, or pornographic materials when using it. Everyone should be made aware of the fact that there are...