CENSORSHIP

on the Internet

"When they took the fourth amendment,
I was quiet because I didn't deal drugs.
When they took the sixth amendment,
I was quiet because I was innocent.
When they took the second amendment,
I was quiet because I didn't own a gun.
Now they've taken the first amendment,
and I can say nothing about it."

--La Paranoia homepage
http://www.paranoia.com/

   The net is a terrifying place to some people... especially parents. Due to the sudden influx of inexperienced individuals who use the net without any true understanding of it (especially those who are members of America Online,) people have suddenly realized that there are both positive and negative aspects to something as powerful as a world-wide computer network. Its implications continue to astound both experienced and inexperienced users. Whenever it is widely believed that the net's limit has been reached, a whole new world opens up with the release of newer, more powerful technology and software. This begins to hint at the dangers of such a place.
   Originally, the Internet was simply a system of government computers networked around the country so that they could easily transport information. It steadily grew and eventually entered the public sector. Now, nearly everyone has become able to access the net in some way or another, be it a local freenet or the ever-despised AOL. There are very large numbers of knowledgeable users who are upset by the users of commercial online services. The users of such services did not have to work in order to gain access to what they use; they simply picked up the phone and everything was handed to them on a silver platter. The majority of them have no concept of what the net is. The net's basic purpose is the transfer of information. The people on AOL have not grasped this concept judging by their actions on online news discussion groups (aka Usenet). The majority of them (presumably, young teenage males) are in search of pirated software and pornography. The latter is one of the most obvious faults of the net.
   Virtually anything on the net is available to anyone that knows how to find it... pornography included. This has led political figures such as Senator Exon to stand on their pulpit and ramble about how they will censor the net so it is "safe" for everyone. There are two basic problems with this ideology. The first amendment is supposed to allow free speech for everyone, even individuals such as myself. Second, it is impossible to enforce. The individuals on the net who understand it are not working for the government. They are the individuals who are making it possible for people to transfer ideas... regardless of what they may be. Due to the design of the entire system, it is impossible to control what is transferred. I've seen newsgroups shut down because of what they transmit, but their users only move to other newsgroups and continue business as usual. Basically, the people running the stuff the government dislikes are the same people who control the net. If the government tried to physically enforce any legislation they create (such as arresting misusers), it would have to arrest the majority of the Internet community. That is why censorship of the net is an impossibility. There are far too many individuals such as myself who believe in the Constitution and have the ability to enforce it regardless of what the government thinks.

- Mighty Taco
dg003e@uhura.cc.rochester.edu

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