Should the internet be censored? This is a question that many are currently asking, due to the increasing amount of pornography and illegal activity now found on the Web. The Internet, a massive global network of computers, allows anyone from anywhere to share and display information at their will. The question is, how far is too far? Although the Internet provides a medium for illegal, immoral, and unethical content to be seen, it should not be censored. This can be seen through a detailed look at our constitutional rights, , the near impossible task Internet censoring would be, and the responsibilities of today's parents.
The first reason the internet should not be censored is simple. Censoring the Web is against the law. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition without government interference. This right applies to the use of the Internet. To say that we can censor only what the government sees fit would be a violation of that right. At what point can the government decide what to censor and what not to? Will our religious websites be taken offline due to the offensive nature they may represent to others? What about our political organizations? While the Internet does provide a means for illegal activity, that doesn't make it okay to eliminate it completely, or even censor it. An automobile can be a means for someone to kill themselves or others. Yet this is solely dependant on the driver of the automobile, not the automobile itself. In the same respect, the Internet can be a vehicle for crime. This taken into consideration, the Internet still upholds laws. Child pornography sites are shut down as soon as they are discovered. There are limits to the Internet, just as there are limits to how a person can drive. Our government does not necessarily condone everything that happens via the web, but it remains yet to impose on our constitutional rights by censoring it.
