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Internet Censorship

Internet Censorship is classified as the control or suppression of the virtual content which can being viewed, accessed, or distributed on the World Wide Web. It can be exercised by authorities such as governments, educational institutions, workplaces or even by private citizens. The reasoning behind internet censorship laws and policies are often based on religious, moral, or professional expectations. Forms of this content suppression include the banning of pornographic websites, media sources, and web forums. On a lesser scale, individual types of censorship might include more inverted efforts to keep information away from the outside world.

Self-censorship

See main article: Self-censorship

Self-censorship is common act in both the virtual and real worlds. It refers to the individual decision to filter, avoid, or omit certain information which might be disclosed to other people or the public. In some instances, self-censorship might occur due to potential negative consequences or retaliation. Self-censorship occurs in verbal conversation, physical interaction, online profiles, and even in social media activity, such as a Facebook post. People constantly filter thoughts, opinions and information to adhere to their situation and the people around them. Abstaining from making an offensive statement would be a version of self-censorship. Workplace policies or other affiliations might result in an individual refraining from posting or sharing certain information. For instance, many companies insist their employees uphold workplace values and mission statements outside of the office. Rude or offensive behaviour or statements would then be severely frowned upon; including content that occurs in online interactions. Due to the motivation these rules induce, internet self-censorship is commonly used in order to protect reputation and prevent conflict of interest among individuals and their life outside the virtual world. Additionally, in the modern era of a technological society, self-censorship is utilized as a tool for maintaining privacy on the internet. Although concepts such as The right to be forgotten demand otherwise, the internet is a very complex, layered entity and any action that occurs within it cannot easily be erased. As a method of self-preservation in regard to content which may cause regret later, individuals might refrain from posting the information altogether. Others may adjust their account settings on various platforms in order to ensure that their personal content can only be accessed by approved parties. Studies have demonstrated that a popular concern among youth and online security is their susceptibility to marketing companies gathering personal information. Major web parties such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat have included features that allow for users to customize their privacy settings. In a 2014 study, 58 percent of teen participants were recorded to have set their Facebook accounts to private with only 12 percent stating that the public could view their profiles. A study completed by the Two Pew Research Centre observed that 60% of adults and 66% of teens utilize privacy restrictions for their online presences. Rather than refraining from posting various thoughts, feelings, photos or links, people feel safely protected by the various blocks and security features they have activated. Contrary to the forms of internet censorship that are often viewed as oppressive, self-censorship is embraced by web users looking to maintain control over their virtual presence.

Anonymity

Anonymity is a very prevalent form of self-censorship in the virtual world. Anonymous or fake accounts are often popular among people active on forum-heavy websites. Tumblr for instance, consists of hundreds of thousands of users with creative, un-identifying usernames. These accounts then allow the user to separate from their life in the real world, as well as any affiliations or relationships that exist there. This newfound freedom can manifest itself in many ways as individuals then feel able to post, comment and interact in any way that suits their will; free of the repercussions . In the United States of America, the First Amendment frees citizens to access and browse online information anonymously. Anonymity also poses dangers to the public and private institutions however, as they cause acts of manipulation, fraud or theft to be more difficult to track. This is often perceived as abuse of self-censorship abilities and mediators of the web are often encouraged to take charge of similar situations.

Support and Opposition for Internet Censorship

Positive Aspects of Internet Censorship

Internet Censorship is viewed as a beneficial component of web regulation for a number of reasons. As a way to protect innocent people and prevent crimes from occurring, governments often install or are encouraged to install censorship policies to ban websites that threaten the well-being of others. Additionally, internet censorship protects the well-being of users due to its prevention from breaches such as malware attacks or hacks.

Negative Aspects of Internet Censorship

Often opposed for what are viewed to many detrimental aspects however, internet censorship is a heavily questioned concept. For fear of content deprivation, citizens of the internet are often against the government regulation of information. In a struggle for power and control, many groups accuse nations of enacting bans on websites to prevent government exposure, all while seemingly preventing security breaches or conflicts. Wikileaks was one of the first websites to be outlawed in such a fashion even by developed countries.