Benefits of Internet Censorship

Apart from the United States, countries such as China, Germany have invested heavily in ensuring that uncensored information reaches the citizens. This is through, blocking of the foreign websites and other entry sources such as the media. Most countries and other institutions have argued that security of information can be attained if censorship is implemented. Furthermore, stability is achieved to a censored institution making it much relevant. The effectiveness of Censorship is not measured by the number of laws that have been effected by government institutions but by the environment provided. To provide security, initiation of tracking systems that investigate dangerous groupings, extremists as well as terrorists proves beneficial. Several debates have been held to widen the scope as to why the government censored the internet. The fear of privacy was viewed as a negative aim by the government.

Authoritarian governments such as Russia and China have come up with mitigation measures that stabilize the country without the citizen's knowledge. The effects have been structural and well-centred nations. The government can prevent political tension if the information that is sent by netizens is discriminatory or castigating. Furthermore, revelations have shown that during electioneering periods most people on social media want to outdo each other. As a result, they may exchange information that is not appealing at all. To avoid such dire consequences the U. S has set up the legal structure that monitors the contents sent via the internet. To protect the children from violation of content, the introduction of internet censorship by the U. S and other nations has had a vital impact on the society. Technology has reduced the world into a single space enabling the rampant flow of information.

However, what matters is the type of information that is shared between individuals. Children have gone to the extent of embracing technology. Revolutionaries used the social media to promote rebellion against the oppressive regimes. Authoritarian regimes in the Arab region were threatened and most were prompted to censor social media outlets. The Arab Spring was a noble cause but it revealed to the world that the social media had a great influence on the mood and actions of the society. The Arab Spring swept across countries indicating that the effects of the social media are not limited to national borders. It is apparent that there is need to censor the social media to prevent certain moods in the society such as fear and panic. The public was prevented from mass panicking and embracing chaos as the government peacefully resolved the issue.

Turkey managed to prevent a bloody outcome that could have potentially created a warring environment similar to that of Syria by a simple censorship of the internet. In the U. S a mass hysteria scenario was witnessed after the Florida School shooting. Rumors of a second shooting circulated in social media sites “prompting school closings” (Eltagouri, Lac and Bever) and mass panic. Content creators require the intervention of the government to protect against such losses. The intervention culminates in internet censorship since it restricts the content to be posted. When work is plagiarized or copyrighted it inhibits creativity. Those that develop content and other creative work are inspired to be creative when they earn revenues from their creation. Internet censorship enables content creators to earn revenues from their labor. Fake news is dangerous given that the mighty U.

S became vulnerable to its influences. The 2016 general election in the U. S was riddled with instances of fake news. Russia has been accused of trying to influence the outcome of the election by promoting fake news that favored one of the candidates (Allcott and Gentzkow, 214). Censorship is aimed at protecting the freedoms that might be undermined by the freedom of speech. Free speech has its evils and has to be limited when it threatens other freedoms (Weinstein, 38). It should be limited when it threatens security through incitement and the disclosure of national secrets. Free speech should also be limited if it invades the privacy of others. Those that oppose censorship should remember that the freedom of speech should be limited when it threatens the freedoms of others. Those that censor the community have to be accountable to the community.

The presence of a civilian oversight team will guarantee that the society will have their freedom of speech protected while still enjoying the benefits of censorship. Works Cited Allcott, Hunt, and Matthew Gentzkow. Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of Economic Perspectives 31. Retrieved from https://www. washingtonpost. com/news/education/wp/2018/02/15/threats-hoaxes-anxiety-and-arrests-an-uneasiness-in-schools-after-florida-shooting/?noredirect=on&utm_term=. e0dca7855c8 Gilboa, Eytan, et al. Moving media and conflict studies beyond the CNN effect. Princeton University Press, 2018. Weaver, Kari D. Censorship of Digital Resources Worldwide. Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Third Edition. IGI Global, 2015.