Activities and campaigns like this happen all of the time but the anti-SOPA campaign was an example of it working with overwhelmingly effective results. Legislation like spurs action quite quickly becomes it comes across to many as authoritarianism (Calingaert, 2010)
A sterling example of this in action was the actions taken by Egypt during the last throes of the Mubarak regime. After three days of vitriolic protests that were in large part organized through social media sites like Facebook, Egypt took the largely unprecedented step of completely shutting off the Internet (Dibbell, 2012)
This filtering of the internet to ostensibly protect the vulnerable is generally supported although there are some detractors (Nantai & Cockerline, 2010). There is also a question as to how generally effective the practice even is (Eneman, 2010)
There is also a question as to how generally effective the practice even is (Eneman, 2010). Some have argued that education of online users is much more important than any screening that can be done (Essex, 2009)
Another effect that online activity restriction can have is the thought that such actions are inherently incompatible with the precepts of democracy and freedom of speech in general (Morozov, 2011). Such questions have been posed based on the restrictions placed on the online activities and speech of people in South Korea (Fish, 2009)
Pros of Freedom of Expression One major plus of freedom of expression is that it can send up a beacon of hope and optimism for people in oppressive regimes and situations. There are many countries that regulate free speech and internet activity (Greengard, 2010)
Pros of Freedom of Expression One major plus of freedom of expression is that it can send up a beacon of hope and optimism for people in oppressive regimes and situations. There are many countries that regulate free speech and internet activity (Greengard, 2010)
History has shown since then that this just inflamed the populace even more and the decision to staunch online communication was eventually undone. Another effect that online activity restriction can have is the thought that such actions are inherently incompatible with the precepts of democracy and freedom of speech in general (Morozov, 2011)
In addition, susceptible parties such as children are shielded from this material using filtering software both at the computer and internet levels. This filtering of the internet to ostensibly protect the vulnerable is generally supported although there are some detractors (Nantai & Cockerline, 2010)
However, the country's populaces as well as observers outside of the country have vehemently condemned the behavior (Fish, 2009). A similar set of circumstances have come to be in Turkey (Ozkan & Arikan, 2009)
The capabilities, depth and breadth of what the internet has to offer have increased exponentially over the ensuing two decades. Such expansion has greatly eased the spread of information (Palfrey, 2010)
Conclusion As has been made clear over the course of this report, the research bears out that the intentions behind censorship range from good intentions to the oppressing of populations and the verdict about such censorship tends to be condemnatory of the general behavior of censorship in all of its forms and functions. Research shows that while some censorship is probably required, it needs to be done in a balanced way and less is generally more (Peace, 2003)
Some ask the question whether China even has the right to do this (Smith, 2010). Another major plus of free expression on the internet is that the web allows people to mobilize and organize for or against topics that unite them (Penny, 2011)
Some ask the question whether China even has the right to do this (Smith, 2010). Another major plus of free expression on the internet is that the web allows people to mobilize and organize for or against topics that unite them (Penny, 2011)
This regulation is the subject of much banter, much of it negative, including derision aimed at companies in the Western world such as Google that actively work with the country of China despite its behavior (Greengard, 2012). Google results from Chinese computers are often redacted or users are met with a "page cannot be displayed" prompt (Roberts, 2010)
Cons of Freedom of Expression A major con of freedom of expression is that once a statement is made or a picture is posted on the Internet, it is extremely difficult to retract the information or image once it is out there. Such was proven by the legal case of an Argentinian woman who demanded that Yahoo and Google remove racy pictures of her from their search engine results (Rosen, 2012)
Google results from Chinese computers are often redacted or users are met with a "page cannot be displayed" prompt (Roberts, 2010). Some ask the question whether China even has the right to do this (Smith, 2010)
A similar set of circumstances have come to be in Turkey (Ozkan & Arikan, 2009). Countries that installed such measures have been usurped by people that continue their online activities under pseudonyms (Talbot, 2009)
There are many countries that regulate free speech and internet activity (Greengard, 2010). Although these regimes, which include China, are very diligent in regulating what they see as threatening, many of the citizens network and speak their mind irrespective of the potential consequences (Thompson, 2010)