Should The Internet Be Censored And Controlled?

[Skydiver]

you may feel you have nothing to hide.

but you're not deciding what is 'right' or 'wrong'...it's others.

take a look and google 'joe mccarthy' and then see how you feel.

People were black listed and run out of town all ofr having the 'wrong' friends or reading the 'wrong' books, or making a 'wrong' comment.

and that was before the day of technology and people using your phone to track your movements, or logging your internet usage, or getting a list of what books you check out of the library, or using hte gps in your car to know where you go and when. using your dvr and cable box to know what shows you watch, or if you have satellite radio, what stations you listen to. using your credit card receipts to know what you're buying.

[The_Carpenter]

i would have no problem with someone looking over my shoulder i have nothing to hide

" They came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;

And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;

And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;

And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."

Pastor Martin Niemöller 1892–1984

[SoulReaver]

i would have no problem with someone looking over my shoulder i have nothing to hide

would you also accept police cameras in your own dwelling ?

[starshineRoxie]

Should the internet be censored?

In Australia they are going to try and implement filters at every ISP to filter content the government deems illegal and inappropriate. I think Obama wants to do the same in the USA but that will be voluntary and not at the ISP where it would slow down traffic.

What do you think of this and are any countries doing this right now? Has the UK done this I read from a friend they have but can't confirm it.

China has and still does. And no I don't think it's a good idea, it's anti-democratic to limit choices for people in any form. And since it does slow down traffic on the Internet, it will only make things worse for you in the long run technologically-wise.

[starshineRoxie]

And to also add to the ongoing discussion, I will say this, if you don't even show people what is censored and what is not, they will never educate themselves to know better and make wise choices in the first place. How can anyone argue about whether or not a site is appropriate if most can't even see it? I don't approve of people making decisions for me or trying to dumb me down in any way. If I ever saw something I didn't like, I would want to make up my own mind about why I don't like it, not be refused the chance to even see why it's bad in the first place. Censoring will never be good in the long run. Educating people to be smarter is the only REAL key.

[tombombadil]

Q.should the internet be censored?
A. Hell no. ass damn hell crap.

[Coco Pops]

you may feel you have nothing to hide.

but you're not deciding what is 'right' or 'wrong'...it's others.

take a look and google 'joe mccarthy' and then see how you feel.

People were black listed and run out of town all ofr having the 'wrong' friends or reading the 'wrong' books, or making a 'wrong' comment.

and that was before the day of technology and people using your phone to track your movements, or logging your internet usage, or getting a list of what books you check out of the library, or using hte gps in your car to know where you go and when. using your dvr and cable box to know what shows you watch, or if you have satellite radio, what stations you listen to. using your credit card receipts to know what you're buying.

I am ever fascinated by that period in history. How in the hell did McCarthy create such hysteria that people went bonkers

[jebus]

i would have no problem with someone looking over my shoulder i have nothing to hide

I on the other hand would have a huge problem with someone looking over my shoulder, I too have nothing to hide, but I have every right to hide it.

[TameFarrar]

I would have no issue with the folks who sit for hours looking at kid porn having their connection back-tracked to determine just what their malfunction is....

However on the whole I don't think the Internet should be regulated.

[Coco Pops]

Well here's another news article......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sciencean...tary-says.html

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Andy Burnham says he believes that new standards of decency need to be applied to the web. He is planning to negotiate with Barack Obama’s incoming American administration to draw up new international rules for English language websites.

The Cabinet minister describes the internet as “quite a dangerous place” and says he wants internet-service providers (ISPs) to offer parents “child-safe” web services.

Giving film-style ratings to individual websites is one of the options being considered, he confirms. When asked directly whether age ratings could be introduced, Mr Burnham replies: “Yes, that would be an option. This is an area that is really now coming into full focus.”

ISPs, such as BT, Tiscali, AOL or Sky could also be forced to offer internet services where the only websites accessible are those deemed suitable for children.

Mr Burnham also uses the interview to indicate that he will allocate money raised from the BBC’s commercial activities to fund other public-service broadcasting such as Channel Four. He effectively rules out sharing the BBC licence fee between broadcasters as others have recommended.

His plans to rein in the internet, and censor some websites, are likely to trigger a major row with online advocates who ferociously guard the freedom of the world wide web.

However, Mr Burnham said: “If you look back at the people who created the internet they talked very deliberately about creating a space that Governments couldn’t reach. I think we are having to revisit that stuff seriously now. It’s true across the board in terms of content, harmful content, and copyright. Libel is [also] an emerging issue.

“There is content that should just not be available to be viewed. That is my view. Absolutely categorical. This is not a campaign against free speech, far from it; it is simply there is a wider public interest at stake when it involves harm to other people. We have got to get better at defining where the public interest lies and being clear about it.”

Mr Burnham reveals that he is currently considering a range of new safeguards. Initially, as with copyright violations, these could be policed by internet providers. However, new laws may be threatened if the initial approach is not successful.

“I think there is definitely a case for clearer standards online,” he said. “More ability for parents to understand if their child is on a site, what standards it is operating to. What are the protections that are in place?”

He points to the success of the 9pm television watershed at protecting children. The minister also backs a new age classification system on video games to stop children buying certain products.

Mr Burnham, himself a parent of three young children, says his goal is for internet providers to offer “child-safe” web services.

“It worries me - like anybody with children,” he says. “Leaving your child for two hours completely unregulated on the internet is not something you can do. This isn’t about turning the clock back. The internet has been empowering and democratising in many ways but we haven’t yet got the stakes in the ground to help people navigate their way safely around…what can be a very, very complex and quite dangerous world.”

Mr Burnham also wants new industry-wide “take down times”. This means that if websites such as YouTube or Facebook are alerted to offensive or harmful content they will have to remove it within a specified time once it is brought to their attention.

He also says that the Government is considering changing libel laws to give people access to cheap low-cost legal recourse if they are defamed online. The legal proposals are being drawn up by the Ministry of Justice.
Mr Burnham admits that his plans may be interpreted by some as “heavy-handed” but says the new standards drive is “utterly crucial”. Mr Burnham also believes that the inauguration of Barack Obama, the President-Elect, presents an opportunity to implement the major changes necessary for the web.

“The change of administration is a big moment. We have got a real opportunity to make common cause,” he says. “The more we seek international solutions to this stuff – the UK and the US working together – the more that an international norm will set an industry norm.”

The Culture Secretary is spending the Christmas holidays at his constituency in Lancashire but is planning to take major decisions on the future of public-service broadcasting in the New Year. Channel Four is facing a £150m shortfall in its finances and is calling for extra Government help. ITV is also growing increasingly alarmed about the financial implications of meeting the public-service commitments of its licenses.

Mr Burnham says that he is prepared to offer further public assistance to broadcasters other than the BBC. However, he indicates that he does not favour “top-slicing” the licence fee. Instead, he may share the profits of the BBC Worldwide, which sells the rights to programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing to foreign broadcasters.

“I feel it is important to sustain quality content beyond the BBC,” he said. “The real priorities I have got in my mind are regional news, quality children’s content and original British children’s content, current affairs documentaries – that’s important. The thing now is to be absolutely clear on what the public wants to see beyond the BBC.

“Top-slicing the licence fee is an option that is going to have to remain on the table. I have to say it is not the option that I instinctively reach for first. I think there are other avenues to be explored.”

[ciel]

Should the internet be censored?

In Australia they are going to try and implement filters at every ISP to filter content the government deems illegal and inappropriate. I think Obama wants to do the same in the USA but that will be voluntary and not at the ISP where it would slow down traffic.

What do you think of this and are any countries doing this right now? Has the UK done this I read from a friend they have but can't confirm it.

No, it should not. This idea - in concept and implementation - is FULL of Fail........not to mention the immoral implications of censorship......

[ciel]

i would have no problem with someone looking over my shoulder i have nothing to hide

I'm glad you feel that way because your pornography collection is simply WONDERFUL ~

[ciel]

This is why people should support THIS:

http://www.torproject.org/

you don't need to supply a dedicated server either - you can set it up to run in the background like any protein folding or SETI signal search program......

[Coco Pops]

A question to ponder

Why are our so called "free" and democratic governments suddenly looking at crazy ideas like this?

What has got them so spooked? Answer that and you will know why we are having things like this foisted on us I believe.

[Coco Pops]

And now cartoons join the banned list
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/12/29/0140251