Internet censorship in the United States

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Internet censorship in the United States is the suppression of information published or viewed on the Internet in the United States. Personal Internet access in the US is not subject to technical censorship but can be penalized by law for violating the rights of others. Programs such as content-control software are sometimes used within institutions such as businesses, libraries, schools, and government offices.^[1] Though most online expression is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, laws such as those concerning libel, intellectual property, and pornography still determine how and if certain content can be published online.

Contents 1 By government 1.1 Block against Cuban websites 2 By institutions 2.1 Schools 2.2 Libraries 2.3 Individual websites 3 By content providers 3.1 Telecommunications companies 3.2 By corporations abroad 4 References 5 External links

[edit] By government

Internet content that violates U.S. law and is physically hosted in the United States may be removed through legal processes. For example, pirated films available on a website hosted in California could be targeted by the U.S. legal system. Similar content hosted in another country could not.

Such content removals are routine and are usually not broadly labeled as government "censorship". However, controversial cases have occurred that some argue cross the line into censorship.

In February 2008, the Bank Julius Baer vs. Wikileaks lawsuit prompted the United States District Court for the Northern District of California to issue a permanent injunction against the website Wikileaks' domain name registrar. The result was that Wikileaks could not be accessed through its web address.^[2] This elicited accusations of censorship and resulted in the Electronic Frontier Foundation stepping up to defend Wikileaks. After a later hearing, the injunction was lifted.^[3]

[edit] Block against Cuban websites

In March 2008, a New York Times story mentions that eNom is known to disable domain names which appear on a US Treasury Department blacklist.^[4] It describes eNom’s disabling of a European travel agent’s Web sites advertising travel to Cuba, which appeared on a U.S. Treasury Department list^[5] published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The article’s sources use words varying from “scandal” to “legally required” to describe “how Web sites owned by a British national operating via a Spanish travel agency can be affected by U.S. law”, especially when the operation is as “mysterious” as that of the OFAC list.

[edit] By institutions

Institutions that provide Internet access for their members will sometimes censor this access in an attempt to ensure it is used only for the purposes of the institution. This includes censoring entertainment content in business and educational settings and censoring high-bandwidth services in settings where bandwidth is at a premium. Institutions may also block outside e-mail services. This is a precaution usually instigated out of concerns for network security.

[edit] Schools

Schools that accept funds from the E-rate program of LSTA grants for Internet connections are required by CIPA to have an "Internet safety policy and technology protection measures in place" ^[6]

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Many public schools have censorship programs built into their systems, but like most web blocking programs, they can't catch everything. Many schools default to using Internet filters to meet these requirements. However, the federal government leaves the local authorities to define what information needs to be censored, not each pupil’s guardian. This arrangement has led many to question the censorship of Internet sites in the school system. At the same time these censoring programs can also block out a lot of useful information and limit students on what their research can get them. Some parents are also against many of the measures schools go to because they feel their children are being limited and their rights reduced. Some of the fears associated with Internet censorship in the school include: a predominant ideology, a specific view held by the filter manufacturer being imposed on the students, over blocking of useful information, under blocking of harmful information.

[edit] Libraries

Libraries also censor certain web pages, this may not be limited to pornography as it may extend to advertising sites, chat, social networking, and forums.^[7]

[edit] Individual websites

Some websites that allow user-contributed content practice censorship by banning users or pre-approving editorial contributions.

[edit] By content providers

[edit] Telecommunications companies

In 2007, Verizon attempted to block the abortion rights group Naral Pro-Choice America from using their text messaging services to speak to their supporters. Verizon claims it was in order to enforce a policy that doesn’t allow their customers to use their service to communicate “controversial” or “unsavory” messages.^[8] Comcast, AT&T and many other ISP's have also been accused of regulating internet traffic and bandwidth.

[edit] By corporations abroad

Several US corporations including Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and MySpace practice greater levels of self-censorship in some international versions of their online services. This is most notably the case in these corporations' dealings in China.

See also: Censorship by Google, Yahoo!, Work in China, Criticism of Microsoft, Censorship in China, and MySpace, MySpace China

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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• Global Integrity: Internet Censorship, A Comparative Study; puts US online censorship in cross-country context.

Campaigns against

• Electronic Frontier Foundation, US-based organization for the defense of online liberties
• [1] Main page of the Morality in Media group
• [2] Main site for the Parent Television Council
• Everyones Guide to Bypassing Internet[3]
• Psiphon Main Page[4]
• Tor Main Page[5]
• Psiphon User Guide[6]

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