advantages of internet censorship essay

13 Internet Censorship Pros and Cons

Internet censorship is the ability to restrict specific websites or online content from being viewed. It may come in the form of an edit, regulation, or law issued by the government. It could also occur privately is an ISP objects to the content that certain individuals wish to view.

The advantage of allowing internet censorship is that content which is violent, obscene, or dangerous can be immediately blocked. This protects children from inadvertently viewing content that could be scary or harmful to them, such as the murder and decapitation videos which have made their way to sites like Facebook and Twitter in recent years.

The disadvantage is obvious: internet censorship is a restriction on a person’s ability to view the content they wish to see, when they wish to see it.

Here are some additional internet censorship pros and cons to discuss.

What Are the Pros of Internet Censorship?

1. It creates the chance to set common sense limits. There are some things that just aren’t part of what a society would deem to be healthy. A simple search right now on an unfiltered public search can provide anyone with access to numerous videos that purport to show real murders in progress. High-profile cases, such as the murders of Alison Parker and Adam Ward, were broadcast on-air and then a first-person video of the event made its way through social circles afterwards. Restricting this content sets a common-sense limit on the content that van be viewed.

2. It limits access to harmful activities. There are dark areas of the internet where anything goes right now. Access to illicit drugs, sex trafficking, human trafficking, and child pornography can be accessed with relative ease by those who seek out such things. By restricting content that can be accessed, it limits the opportunities that predators can create to reach out to find new victims.

3. It could lessen the impact of identity theft. One of the fastest growing crimes in the world today is identity theft. NBC News reports that more US citizens were victims of identity theft in 2016 than any year before. More than 15.4 million reports of identity theft were compiled by Javelin Strategy and Research, which reflects a 16% increase in the total number of reports from 2015 figures. Restricting content that would allow identity information to be easily shared could lessen the impact that identity theft causes to a society.

4. It may provide a positive impact on national security. Although hacking will occur no matter what internet censorship laws may be in place, by creating internet censorship regulations with strict and mandatory penalties for a violation, it could become possible to reduce the number of hacking incidents that occur. That could have a positive impact on national security because the restrictions would possibly prevent alleged incidents like what occurred during the 2016 US Presidential election.

5. It stops fake news. Claims of fake news increased dramatically in 2017. Fake news websites promote false reports for money through clicks because readers think the news is real. Internet censorship would provide another level of discernment which could possibly stop divisive incidents that are based on events that never occurred.

What Are the Cons of Internet Censorship?

1. Who watches the watchers? Even if internet censorship is directly supervised and ethically maintained, someone somewhere is deciding on what is acceptable and what is not acceptable for society to see online. At some level, someone does not have anyone to whom they report regarding their censorship decisions. With that kind of power, one individual could influence society in whatever way they chose without consequence.

2. It stops information. Although fake information can be restricted through internet censorship, so can real information. According to the World Economic Forum, 27% of all internet users live in a country where someone has been arrested for content that they have shared, published, or simply liked on Facebook. 38 different countries made arrests based solely on social media posts in 2016.

3. It is a costly process. According to research from Darrell West, VP and Director of Governance Studies and the founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings, internet shutdowns cost countries $2.4 billion in 2015. The decision to cut connectivity in Egypt came at a cost of $90 million. Censoring content is costly and it will come at the expense of taxpayers.

4. It provides a negative economic impact. What happens if a business has their website blocked because it doesn’t meet an arbitrary standard of “goodness”? Allowing the government or some other entity to declare what is “good” or “bad” for the internet can have a dramatic economic impact at the local level. If a business cannot promote themselves online or sell their goods on an e-commerce platform, then they are placed in a disadvantageous state compared to industry competitors who would be allowed to sell online.

5. It shifts where responsibilities lie. If the government is dictating what individuals can see online, then people are no longer as responsible for the decisions they make. It cedes that control over to the government. Once that control is ceded, it becomes easier to cede more control over responsibility because the action was normalized.

6. It prevents individuals from accessing a freedom of expression. A free internet allows individuals to post what they want. It gives them the chance to freely express their thoughts, opinions, and views. Laws may already exist in many jurisdictions that would allow for the prosecution of individuals who share illegal content already, such as child pornography, so placing additional restrictions would simply create another layer of bureaucracy.

7. A lack of truth leads to ignorance. In 1984 by George Orwell, people in this dystopian environment are kept under tight control so that specific societal results can occur. Once people in this society begin to discover love, they discover truth. That truth prevents them from living in ignorance. With internet censorship, there is a lack of truth which exists in such a policy. That means there is a societal ignorance in place that a ruling party could attempt to control.

8. It limits entrepreneurial opportunities. In a world of internet censorship, entrepreneurs would be forced to have their ideas approved by an oversight committee, board, or individual instead of pursuing the idea immediately on their own. If a business in the same industry as the entrepreneur has enough wealth or influence, they could potentially restrict the entrepreneur from pursuing their opportunity. Such an action would limit innovation in many sectors.

These internet censorship pros and cons show us that what can be used for good can also be used for selfish intent. Who do you think should determine if content is inappropriate? Should it be a government, an oversight committee, or yourself?

Pros and Cons of Censorship: A Detailed Breakdown

March 27, 2024 Valeria G

Censorship has been a contentious issue throughout history, with various forms impacting societies worldwide. The practice has sparked debates on its merits and drawbacks, from political censorship to self-censorship. While censorship can protect national security and maintain social order, it also raises concerns about freedom of speech and access to information.

Key Takeaways:

• Censorship has been used throughout history to control information and maintain social order, but it can also infringe on freedom of speech and limit access to information.
• While censorship can be argued as necessary for protecting national security and children from harmful content, it can also be used for propaganda and political control.

What Is Censorship?

Censorship, the control of information and ideas by authorities, has evolved over time for social, political, and moral reasons. It has historically been used to maintain power structures, preserve cultural norms, and protect national security. From ancient to modern times, rulers and authorities have restricted free expression to manage public perception and uphold societal values. Major events such as the Enlightenment period and the rise of totalitarian regimes have shaped the practice of censorship, with technological advancements like the internet offering new methods of control and surveillance. Understanding these dynamics is crucial in navigating censorship’s complexities today.

Types of Censorship

Censorship manifests in various forms, including political censorship laws imposed by governments, religious censorship dictated by faith doctrines, corporate censorship driven by profit motives, and self-censorship practiced by individuals.

1. Political Censorship

Political censorship involves governmental authorities’ suppression of information or expression to control public discourse and protect political interests.

By restricting access to certain content, governments shape public opinion and limit the spread of dissenting viewpoints. By controlling the flow of information, authorities can perpetuate their agendas, manipulate public perception, and maintain their hold on power. For example, propaganda plays a crucial role in political censorship, as governments often use biased or misleading information to sway public opinion.

Case studies worldwide showcase the diverse strategies authorities employ to silence dissent and stifle opposition. Examining the intricacies of these mechanisms provides valuable insights into the dynamics of censorship and its impact on societies.

2. Religious Censorship

Religious censorship restricts the dissemination of content that contradicts religion or challenges established beliefs, doctrines, or practices of religious institutions.

Religious censorship aims to safeguard the traditional values and teachings upheld by a particular faith by controlling the flow of information. Throughout history, religious authorities have imposed strict regulations on publications, artworks, websites, and public speeches to prevent the spread of heretical or sacrilegious ideas. From the banning of certain texts by the Catholic Church during the Inquisition to the suppression of critical interpretations of Islamic scripture, examples of religious censorship abound.

It is essential to recognize that the rationale behind such censorship often stems from a desire to maintain orthodoxy and unity within a religious community. Religious leaders seek to avoid internal divisions and preserve their faith’s doctrinal purity by silencing dissenting voices and alternative viewpoints. The impact of these measures on intellectual freedom, freedom of expression, and the progress of knowledge is a subject of ongoing debate.

3. Corporate Censorship

Corporate censorship occurs when private entities restrict or modify content to align with their business interests, marketing strategies, or stakeholder preferences.

Examining the motivations behind corporate censorship reveals that profit-driven decisions play a significant role in shaping internet content restrictions. Companies often prioritize safeguarding their revenue streams and maintaining favorable relationships with advertisers, leading to the suppression or alteration of certain information that could potentially harm their financial interests.

This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in media and digital platforms, where monetization is crucial in dictating the content disseminated to the public. By analyzing case studies of corporate censorship, such as social media giants implementing algorithms to limit the reach of certain content, one can observe how financial considerations often override the principles of unrestricted information dissemination.

4. Self-Censorship

Self-censorship refers to individuals suppressing their thoughts, opinions, or expressions to conform to social norms, avoid backlash, or protect personal interests.

This behavior often stems from a fear of judgment, sanctions, or consequences for expressing dissenting or controversial views. Moreover, societal pressure to adhere to commonly accepted beliefs or ideologies can significantly drive individuals to self-censor.

It’s essential to recognize that self-censorship is not solely about silencing one’s voice; it can also lead to a suppression of creativity, diversity of thought, and the open exchange of ideas.

Pros of Censorship

Censorship can have positive implications by safeguarding national security, maintaining social order, and protecting vulnerable populations such as children from harmful content.

When implemented effectively, censorship plays a crucial role in regulating the dissemination of information within society. By filtering out potentially harmful or misleading content, governments can prevent the spread of misinformation that may incite violence or conflict.

Censorship can promote a sense of cohesion by ensuring that all citizens are exposed to content that aligns with societal values and norms. It can also shield marginalized groups and individuals, such as victims of cyberbullying or harassment, by removing harmful online materials. Ultimately, censorship can contribute to building a safer and more inclusive community.

1. Protecting National Security

One of censorship’s primary advantages is its ability to prevent disseminating sensitive information that may threaten national security or public safety.

Government censorship also plays a crucial role in protecting classified data and thwarting threats from external entities seeking strategic insights by controlling what information reaches the public domain.

Security measures such as redacting confidential materials or restricting access to certain government information channels are essential to national defense mechanisms. This delicate balance between safeguarding vital secrets and ensuring transparency in governance is a complex challenge faced by governments worldwide.

2. Maintaining Social Order

Censorship plays a role in preserving social harmony and stability by regulating content that could incite unrest, violence, or disruptive behavior within a community.

Censorship aims to prevent the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and war propaganda, which can fuel tensions and exacerbate social conflicts, by controlling the dissemination of sensitive information. It also contributes to maintaining order and civility by filtering out content against societal norms and protecting individuals from harmful influences.

Upholding cultural norms through censorship ensures that values and ethics deemed important by society are respected. This fosters a cohesive community where diverse perspectives can coexist peacefully. In this way, censorship is a tool for shaping public discourse and safeguarding collective well-being.

3. Protecting Children from Harmful Content

Censorship that shields children from exposure to inappropriate or harmful content helps promote their psychological well-being, moral development, and safety in digital environments.

Protecting minors from stumbling upon harmful content is crucial to nurturing a healthy mindset and shaping respectable values from a young age. The impact of unsuitable material on children’s mental health and behavior can be profound, influencing their perception of the world and interactions with others. By creating a safe online space through content filtering, parents and guardians play a pivotal role in safeguarding their children’s innocence and ensuring they grow up responsibly. When considering the ethical dilemmas surrounding restricting access to certain content, weighing the balance between protection and freedom of information becomes a complex challenge in the digital era.

Cons of Censorship

Despite its potential benefits, censorship raises concerns about infringing on individuals’ freedom of speech, limiting access to diverse information sources, and potentially stifling creativity and critical thinking.

When certain ideas or opinions are suppressed through censorship, it can hinder a society’s intellectual growth. By limiting freedom and restricting the flow of information, people may be deprived of the opportunity to engage with different perspectives and challenge their own viewpoints. This limitation on free expression not only inhibits personal development but also stifles the exchange of ideas that is essential for societal progress.

1. Infringes on Freedom of Speech

One of the primary criticisms of censorship is its tendency to curtail individuals’ rights to express opinions, challenge authority, and engage in open dialogue, thereby impeding the democratic exchange of ideas.

When speech is restricted, dissident voices are silenced, hindering the flow of diverse perspectives essential for a vibrant society. This suppression of dissent can lead to a dominant narrative that stifles critical thinking and innovation.

Censorship can create echo chambers where only certain viewpoints are allowed, narrowing public discourse and limiting the space for constructive debates and intellectual growth. It raises ethical dilemmas by determining who can decide which narratives are acceptable and which are not, potentially leading to subjective biases influencing what the public can access and discuss.

2. Limits Access to Information

Censorship can restrict access to a broad spectrum of information, impeding individuals’ ability to make informed decisions, engage in critical thinking, and participate fully in democratic processes.

When individuals lack diverse perspectives and alternative viewpoints, their understanding of complex issues can be skewed, leading to uninformed opinions and stilted discussions.

Furthermore, censorship hampers creativity and intellectual growth by stifling innovation and limiting exposure to new ideas and intellectual advancements.

In a society where information is vetted or suppressed, the fabric of knowledge dissemination is compromised, resulting in a fragmented awareness among the populace.

3 . Can Be Used as a Tool for Propaganda

When used as a propaganda tool, censorship manipulates narratives, distorts truths, and controls public perception, influencing individuals’ beliefs and attitudes through selective information exposure.

Certain agendas are pushed forward through selective content filtration, shaping public opinions and worldviews. Censorship can conceal vital information that challenges the status quo or threatens those in power. The dissemination of distorted facts hinders critical thinking and suppresses dissent, creating an environment where misinformation flourishes. Censorship can turn a country’s or history’s course by molding the collective memory of events and controlling the narrative presented to the masses.

Conclusion: Is Censorship Necessary?

The debate over the necessity of internet censorship still continues to spark discussions worldwide. Proponents advocate for security and order, while critics argue for preserving free speech and information access.

Proponents of censorship often emphasize the importance of maintaining social stability and protecting individuals from harmful content such as hate speech, violence, and news and misinformation. They believe censorship is crucial in upholding public morality and safeguarding national security.

On the other hand, critics raise concerns about the potential abuse of censorship by those in power to silence dissenting voices and control the flow of information, citing instances where censorship has been used to suppress political opposition or restrict artistic expression.

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15 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet Censorship

Internet censorship is the suppression or control of what an individual may access, view, or publish while they are online. It is something that can be enacted by regulators, private organizations, or even at individual’s initiative. Some may choose a self-censorship for business, moral, or religious reasons. It can even be an activity which allows households to conform to specific societal norms.

There are also times when Internet censorship occurs for legal reasons. Several countries have their ISPs restrict access to torrent sites like The Pirate Bay because of the high likelihood of a copyright violation occurring.

The reasons for Internet censorship are varied, but they all tend to have same outcome in mind. By blocking specific content, an oversight entity seeks to create a positive experience based on their definition of what is wholesome instead of allowing individuals to make that decision on their own.

These are the biggest advantages and disadvantages of Internet censorship to consider today.

List of the Advantages of Internet Censorship

1. Internet censorship blocks dangerous content from being viewed. Parents often use Internet censorship as a way to protect their children from online content which could be potentially dangerous. One example of this involves the Momo challenge. Although the actual event is more of an urban legend that is closer to a hoax, there are reports that videos accessible through YouTube Kids can promote self-harm and suicide even when restrictions are present.

By creating options that allow parents to control what their children view, they can block access to pornography, violence, and other forms of “scary” items that they may feel is harmful.

2. Internet censorship stops people from seeking celebrity status through violence. There are numerous videos that are disturbing that users upload regularly that we can access through social media. Although this content helps us to see another side of humanity, some people do not want to see beheading videos, violent deaths, or animal attacks appear on their regular feed. The processes of Internet censorship allow people to restrict this content without forcing other people to follow the same rules.

3. Internet censorship limits access to illegal activities. If you have ever received a marketing note from a credit agency telling you that they can check the dark web for information about your identity, then you’ve encountered one small element of what can happen online. Illicit drug trades, human trafficking, child pornography, murder-for-hire, and many other extreme elements of humanity are present if you’re willing to go looking for them. When Internet censorship regulations are permitted, then law enforcement and government agencies can block this content for public access while pursuing those who create it in the first place.

4. Internet censorship provides a firewall against potential hacking attempts. Internet censorship is rightly seen as a restriction on a person’s freedom. The reason why it exists is because of the security that it provides at the cost of certain decisions or actions. When implemented appropriately, the goal of this process is to offer more individual safety while still accessing the benefits of being online. When there are regulations in place that prevent access to specific websites, then it becomes more challenging to access information items that could place people at risk. It would also reduce the number of fake news items that are deemed to be real while creating a defense against potential hacking.

5. Internet censorship could help to reduce identity theft incidents. According to a Harris poll, we’re 60 million people in the United States have been affected by identity theft at least once in their lives. About 15 million people experience this issue each year. Although the $16.8 billion in losses is significantly less than the $22.1 billion lost in 2012, the numbers are beginning to rise again thanks to extensive data breaches. Over 178 million records were exposed in 2017 alone, including information on Social Security numbers, birth dates, and even driver’s license numbers. Implementing a mild form of Internet censorship could help to pump the brakes on this issue.

6. Internet censorship can stop violence before it starts. A 15-year-old in Chicago was arrested after he posted on Twitter that he would commit mass murder if George Zimmerman was found not guilty of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. A 19-year-old named Justin Carter threatened to shoot up a kindergarten class in 2013 allegedly in response to gaming activities. By having policies of Internet censorship in place, it becomes possible to detect actions that may result in violence before people get hurt. Even if the words are just sarcasm or an empty threat, taking content like this seriously allows people to take action if it is deemed necessary.

List of the Disadvantages of Internet Censorship

1. Internet censorship is not cheap to implement. When Egypt decided to implement a policy of Internet censorship across the general population, the final cost for the process total $90 million. About $3 billion in consumer transactions is lost each year because of the current policies that are active which prevent users from accessing specific websites. When China placed restrictions on the Internet in 2002 when there were 22 million users, their costs rose to $770 million. With 770 million users now online, the final total could be in the eight-figure range.

Even companies which offer self-imposed restrictions on Internet use must pay for the development of these features.

2. Internet censorship stops the flow of information. Although Internet censorship does stop the flow of false information, it can also be used as a way to control what individuals are allowed to post from their private accounts. This issue even occurs in the United States. According to the ACLU, Robert Frese was accused of violating the criminal defamation law in New Hampshire when he posted a comment online on a news website that a police chief was covering for a corrupt officer.

There are 23 other states in the U.S. where you can be arrested for a misdemeanor if you post something mean about someone else. Frese eventually had the charges dropped against him, but it doesn’t change the dangers that people face when Internet censorship is a priority for an administration.

3. Internet censorship removes one of the checks against the government. In 2016, there were people arrested in 38 different countries because of posts or comments that they made on social media. Over one-quarter of everyone who is online right now lives in a nation where at least one person was arrested for content that they liked, shared, or published on Facebook. These aren’t people who are uploading violent videos which depicts a murder or sexual assault. They are individuals who are critical of their government or elected officials. When no one is allowed to speak out against those who are in charge, then those in power can do almost anything they want.

4. Internet censorship can lead to a misinterpretation of the facts. In January 2012, friends Emily Bunting and Leigh Van Bryan arrived in Los Angeles and were promptly greeted by law enforcement officials. Their passports were confiscated, and they were interrogated for several hours – including an overnight stay in a holding cell. The reason why involves a tweet where Van Bryan said he was going to “destroy” America. He was using a slang term for “partying,” but officials didn’t have a sense of humor. They sent the pair back home the next day. Internet censorship can quickly devolve into a misinterpretation of comments or facts that can lead to detrimental consequences for the people involved.

5. Internet censorship limits a person’s freedom of expression. There will always be an opinion which is unpopular. People will always make jokes which someone somewhere will find to be offensive. If we use Internet censorship as a way to create a safe place where there is no possibility of disagreement, then we are creating a space where no one can express their views, opinions, or thoughts freely. We already have laws in place which prohibit the creation or distribution of specific items or content. Creating regulations which allow for the censoring of online communities creates another layer of legal bureaucracy that everyone must follow.

6. Internet censorship leads to ignorance. Even with a bevy of false information floating around the Internet, people need to have the option to choose what they will believe. There is a personal responsibility involved in researching the accuracy of blogs, new stories, or individual status updates. Far too often, we see a headline or a brief statement on a graphic, and then make an assumption about what the content contains. Battling a lack of truth with regulations that encourage ignorance or silence will only dumb down society further. We must be willing to maintain an open mind and listen to the feedback people offer while pursuing those who actively seek to harm others as a way to protect ourselves.

7. Internet censorship limits new ideas and business opportunities. Entrepreneurs who are trying to do business overseas in countries where Internet censorship exists will quickly find numerous roadblocks standing in their way. Should their profile or website become blocked because the government feels it is critical of some element of their bureaucracy, then a person’s livelihood can be immediately threatened. At the very least, information restriction leads to a lack of innovation.

8. Internet censorship takes away the responsibility of online behavior. When there is someone or something dictating what you can or cannot see online, then the accountability of each choice shifts from the individual to whomever is responsible for the Internet censorship. If someone is no longer responsible for their choices, then there is no meaningful reason to have a shared morality within society. People can be told what to do, think, or say in this circumstance. Then this process can extend to other aspects of life as well. It is a disadvantage where people can go from free express to complete restriction without even realizing what they are giving up.

9. Internet censorship cannot apply to everyone for it to be useful. Whenever there is the possibility of Internet censorship, then there must be an approved group or individual that is responsible for reviewing the different sites that are deemed to be questionable. That means you cannot extend this issue to everyone in society. There will always be a privileged few who operate outside of the legal framework that everyone must follow. Because information is power in the digital age, it would be easier for this group to oppress whomever they choose because they have access to resources that others do not.

The biggest advantages and disadvantages of Internet censorship rely on the integrity and morality of those who are tasked with its implementation. At some level in this process, there is someone who is making arbitrary decisions about which content is acceptable and what is not. If they pursue selfish ambition, then there may be no way to stop that activity. When these processes are used to provide security and protection, then it can lead to a healthier perspective. People should be given the opportunity to make this choice personally instead of having it dictated to them.

Internet Censorship: Definition, Types, and How It Can Affect You

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Internet censorship is a big deal. The days of complete cyber freedom are all but gone, with  companies and governments interfering with the web. Their involvement is ruining the cyberworld for the rest of us in various ways, with censorship being the most prominent.

Internet censorship is the control or suppression of what can be accessed, published, or viewed online. It happens when governments, organizations, or individuals restrict or block access to web content. In this article, we’ll be explaining how censorship happens, its impact on the internet, and how to avoid it. 

What Is Internet Censorship and How It Happens

Some countries censor the internet because they don’t want their citizens to see things that might upset them or make them think differently. They also might do this to keep people from organizing protests or speaking out against the government.

Their goal, usually, is to make it difficult to get accurate information about what’s going on in the world or stop people from being able to share their opinions freely.

But, the government internet censorship can happen for a variety of other reasons , including political, religious, or moral grounds and restricting media freedom. 

While government-level censorship is meant to shut down dissidents, there are other reasons why organizations and groups of people restrict internet access to others. An organization may block certain websites to protect its members from offensive or inappropriate content or simply to increase productivity by limiting access to entertainment and social media sites.

Censorship of the internet happens in one of two directions:

• Top-down censorship is when a government or organization tells service providers what content to block. In some cases, laws may require certain content to be censored. Users have no say in this and can’t choose what to access. 
• Self-imposed censorship is associated with individuals or groups self-censoring by choosing what content to avoid. For example, someone may decide not to view certain websites because they know their government will censor the information, making it inaccurate. 

Different Types of Web Censorship

Different things can be censored, like specific pictures, words, or whole websites and internet protocols. There are also different ways to censor things – blocking either full access to the material or limiting searches for censored terms.

Government-level Censorship

One type of censorship is when a government makes it illegal to say certain things . For instance, in China, the government has made it illegal to talk about certain topics online, like democracy or human rights. They do this by censoring websites that discuss these topics and punishing people who break the rules. Governments work with ISPs to put those restrictions into motion, either by outright blocking access to websites or redirecting traffic to similar, regulated sites.

Platform Restrictions

Another type of censorship is when social media companies block certain content from their platforms . For example, Facebook has been criticized for censoring body positivity and sex education posts. Likewise, YouTube has been accused of censoring videos about LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, and COVID-19 awareness. In this case, platforms issue take-down notices, followed by the removal of said content.

It’s not uncommon for governments to even force tech companies to impose content restrictions based on their own propaganda. In such a case, the government would strong-arm content hosts into submission by threatening outright bans of their platforms. As a counterpoint, Twitter has started clearly marking government-related profiles, so users can see at a glance whether the profile could be a part of a propaganda machine. It’s not much, but at least it helps fight the censorship on the internet.

Local Restrictions

Lastly, censorship can happen on a smaller scale within a single institution. For example, a school may restrict access to certain parts of the internet or even key phrases. That way, the students cannot use the school’s computers to visit inappropriate websites like adult websites or social networks.

Similarly, employers may put blocks on specific apps, services, and websites, so the employees can only access the software and websites they allow them to. While we’ll be discussing how to avoid content blocks and censorship using free VPNs and similar tactics, we strongly advise caution in such situations.

How Censorship Works in Different Countries

Some countries have rigid censorship laws, while others have none at all. China is well-known for its internet restrictions, which some call the “great firewall of China.” The Chinese government blocks access to many websites and social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter. Google’s search engine, as well as all other Google products, is also banned in China. The government is censoring search results and blocks certain words from being used online.

In Saudi Arabia, the government filters content based on religious and moral values. It usually blocks websites that contain pornography or material that could be considered offensive to Islam. In Iran, the government blocks websites that are critical of the regime or that contain information that could be used to foment dissent.

In Russia, a new law requires internet service providers to censor websites that the government decides are “extremist.” This can include foreign websites that have critical opinions of the government in question or that provide information about protests or other forms of defiance.

Censorship can also happen in less obvious ways. For example, many countries require internet companies to collect data about their users’ activities. This data can be used to track people and see what they’re doing online. Needless to say that such laws disrupt net neutrality.

Impact of Censorship

Increased censorship can have a number of negative effects. For starters, it limits people’s ability to access information and ideas. This can lead to a loss of knowledge and opportunities for education and personal growth. 

Additionally, digital censorship can stifle creativity and critical thinking . Having no access to the online world can restrain people’s ability to freely express themselves. When people are only exposed to one side of an issue, it can be challenging to develop a well-rounded opinion. Seeing only one aspect of the whole picture can also lead to misinformation.

Censorship can create an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. People may grow afraid of expressing their opinions or sharing their ideas, which can lead to a feeling of isolation and disconnection.

Why Is Internet Freedom Important

Since the early days of the internet, people have been fighting for online freedom. The internet has become an essential part of our lives, so much so that internet access has been declared a basic human right by the UN Resolution in 2016. Censoring the internet denies us that basic right.

Access to the internet means access to information, education, and communication. It allows us to connect with friends and family and participate in the global community. It is essential for businesses and for the economy, which the pandemic years especially confirmed to be true. When regulations on the type of content we can access are imposed, serious issues may arise, such as when restrictions infringe on medical websites that people need. 

Cyberspace is also a powerful tool for democracy and human rights. The UN recognized the importance of the internet in a Resolution passed in 2016, declaring it a basic human right. The general belief is that the internet is something all people should have access to. Restricting access to parts of the internet is threading on human rights, rights to community, learning, and prospering in this modern world.

How to Circumvent Censorship

If you live in a country with restricted internet, there are several ways to bypass the restrictions and gain access to all internet content.

Web proxies are the simplest, fastest way to get around censorship and regional restrictions on the internet. They work by routing your traffic through a different server so that the website you are trying to visit doesn’t know your true IP address. This can be used to get around simple content filters, like the ones your school or workplace may have in place.

Web proxies are not perfect, however. They can be slow, and they don’t always work with every website. Additionally, your traffic is still going through another server, which means that the proxy owner could be snooping on your traffic and detecting phony IP addresses. More important – your internet service provider and, thus, the government, can still know what you were browsing.

Another way to get access to censored websites is to use a virtual private network. VPNs create a private, secure connection between two devices, which can be used to access restricted websites. When you use a VPN that doesn’t log data, your traffic is encrypted, so your ISP or anyone else can’t see what you’re doing online. Even more important, there’s no data saved on the provider’s side as if you’ve never used the service at all. 

While VPNs are legal in most parts of the world, some countries block them and can even issue a fine if you get caught. If you’re using a VPN in a country where they are not allowed or just worried about the repercussions, you may need to use a different method to access restricted websites.

Tor Browser

Lastly, you might only need to switch your internet browser to a more secure one. Tor is a free browser that allows you to surf the internet anonymously. By encrypting traffic and bouncing it through a distributed network of relays, Tor makes it difficult for anyone to track a user’s online activity.

The main downside to using Tor is that it can be slow. Because traffic is routed through multiple relays, each with its own bandwidth limitations, Tor users may experience slowdowns when browsing the web. Additionally, some websites may block traffic from known Tor relays, making them inaccessible to Tor users.

Final Thoughts

Internet censorship, as explained, can be a difficult issue to navigate. On the one hand, it’s important to protect people from offensive or harmful material. On the other hand, it is important to allow people to freely access information and express themselves. 

Lastly, as the internet is now considered a basic human right, imposing restrictions of such kind is a sign of dictatorship and not a signal that the government actually cares about pressing issues.

Further reading

The Onion Theory of Data Security Layers

What Is the Dark Web? Myths and Facts About the Hidden Internet

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Internet Censorship: Why It’s Important, Plus Pros and Cons

Table of Contents

The pros and cons of internet censorship have been at the root of much debate over the past few years. The purpose of internet censorship is to control, remove, or suppress information online . Also known as the “information superhighway,” the internet is a place where all ages visit. 

There are many pros and cons of censorship on the internet. And there’s also a fine line between freedom of the press and publishing violent, obscene, or dangerous content. Anyone has the ability to go online, whether that person is 5 years old or 65 years old.

Some countries have stricter censorship laws than others. For example, the following countries have limited censorship, meaning they have the greatest amount of online freedom:

• EU countries
• United States

The countries with the most censorship (meaning the least amount of internet freedom) include China, North Korea, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

For our purposes, the pressing question is: How do you find a balance between right and wrong? Today, we’ll weigh the pros and cons of internet censorship to help you take a stance on this highly debated subject.

What is Internet Censorship?

Internet censorship is when there are measures in place to control or restrict access to online content. Governments, institutions and organizations may restrict internet access for cultural, political, security or social reasons. There are several different types of online censorship:

• Blocking or filtering websites
• Monitoring online activities
• Restricting access to online platforms or services
• Suppressing specific content types

Internet access may be restricted by a government to control the information that spreads in an effort to manage political dissent or maintain order. In more severe cases, like in countries that allow for stricter censorship, access to social media sites or news sites may be blocked.

Aside from government censorship, private online entities, like internet service providers or social media platforms, may restrict content according to their policies. For example, sexual or violent content may violate the terms of service and be automatically removed.

There are also less severe forms of censorship. For example, an employer may restrict access to social media websites so that workers don’t spend their time talking with friends. Or a coffee shop may restrict access to certain websites to not offend other customers who may see the web pages someone’s visiting. Parental controls are also a sort of online censorship. For example, a parent may limit their child’s access on social media platforms in order to keep them safe.

What Type of Content is Censored?

All sorts of topics may be blocked or limited, such as:

• Inappropriate or obscene content
• National security
• Pornography

There are a lot of concerns that online censorship raises related to unrestricted access to information, freedom of speech, and the open and uncontrolled exchange of ideas. Here’s a brief overview of the different viewpoints:

• Advocates for a free, open internet say that internet restrictions stifle creativity and innovation, limit how much information can flow, and obstruct the exchange of ideas.
• Those in favor of internet restrictions say that censorship is necessary for social order, national security and to keep harmful content from spreading.

The debate over internet freedom is nuanced and ever-evolving as the level of censorship changes around the world. It encompasses topics like media freedom, social media, and the freedom of expression, among other considerations.

What Are Some Common Types of Internet Censorship?

We covered some of the more basic and well-known types of internet censorship above, but let’s talk about a few more. Note that there are technical types of censorship as well as non-technical types of censorship.

• Internet Protocol Address Blocking: This is when specific websites are blocked and you can’t access them. For example, you may not be able to access your U.S.-based social media site from overseas.
• Laws and Regulations:  Legal requirements may prohibit certain types of content from appearing online. Internet service providers would then have to abide by these rules.
• Search Result Removal:  Search engines may exclude certain websites from search results, which makes the site “invisible” to searchers. The search engine may do this because of a legal requirement or at its own discretion.

In extreme censorship cases, equipment may be confiscated or destroyed or routers may be disconnected to limit access and prevent free speech.

Is There Any Way to Avoid Internet Censorship?

If you live in or travel to a country with strict internet censorship laws, or you find yourself wanting more access for whatever reason, there are a few ways to avoid internet censorship.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A VPN creates an IP address that falls outside the country with internet restrictions. For example, if you’re in a foreign country and want to access a social media site, you may need to use a VPN to do it. The VPN would show your IP address as being in the United States, for example, instead of the country you’re in, which would allow you to gain access.

Use a Proxy Server

Similar to a VPN, a proxy server hides your IP address by changing it to disguise your true location. However, since proxy servers lack encryption, they’re not generally as safe as VPNs. They also have a tendency to be slower when compared to VPNs.

Use a Secure Web Browser

A secure web browser will hide your IP address, protect your browser history and privacy, and delete cookies once you close the window. Plus, secure web browsers encrypt your data. Some people opt to use a secure web browser in their daily lives no matter what type of information they’re accessing because it provides an added layer of security.

Internet Censorship Pros and Cons

Should the internet be censored? Or should everyone have complete and total internet access, regardless of what’s out there?

There are many pros of internet censorship, as it works to prevent sites from publishing graphic and explicit content . From the other perspective, censorship limits the freedom you have online.

Skeptics of the practice argue that internet censorship leads to the loss of freedom and free access to information, regardless of its attributes. According to their arguments, censorship restricts your ability to view the content you want to see when you want to see it.

On the other hand, some people feel that not all information  should be viewed. However, even with restrictions in place, there are always people who will find ways to circumvent censorship.

We’re not here to take a firm stance one way or the other. Instead, we are going to present both sides of the argument to help you decide where you fall on the internet freedom scale.

Pros of Internet Censorship: When Limiting Access is Positive

One of the main cases for internet censorship is that it protects children from accessing harmful and inappropriate information , such as footage of real murders or terrorist decapitations. Let’s talk more about the potential benefits of restricting internet freedom.

Utilize Prudence

Proponents of internet censorship argue that censorship works to protect people using a common-sense approach to the information that appears on the web. While many internet users have the decency to not post something online that society would consider inappropriate, not everyone will exercise the same level of caution.

Dangerous information you can find through a Google search and gain access to includes information about and videos of:

• High-level crimes
• Illicit drugs
• Sexual assault
• Sex trafficking
• Identity theft
• Threats to law enforcement agencies and personnel

Internet censorship offers a means of limiting the number of harmful videos or other forms of offensive content that people, including your children, have access to. In simple terms, internet censorship provides a tool to limit access or even block access to content that can cause irreparable harm.

Protecting your children online is paramount. For expert guidance on implementing effective internet controls, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here .

Here’s an example: In the past, users have expressed discomfort knowing that their children have easy access to pornography. Internet censorship methods have been implemented to make accessing these sites more difficult. For example, when entering a pornographic website, the question “Are you 18 years or older?” now automatically prompts.

While this safety measure is a start, there’s nothing to prevent a child from simply clicking “yes” and gaining access to the website. With it being so easy to circumvent internet censorship, some feel there should be more preventative measures in place.

Protect National Security

Government agencies know that information sharing on the web can threaten national security. Sensitive content can put our country at risk. That includes:

• Videos of military movements and tactics
• Posts about proprietary economic information
• Other compromising, government-related details

Although the United States is often thought of as the home of absolute freedom, internet censorship has a very real purpose when it’s used to protect the national economy and other influences on our position in the global market.

Limit Child Pornography and Other Harmful Information

You may have heard of the dark web, but does it  actually exist? Unfortunately, yes, it does. The dark web is home to activities you would never expect and might not even be able to imagine.

Today, everything goes on the internet, with many people never showcasing self-censorship. Because of the “Wild West” online environment, local communities feel pressure to (1) protect personal freedoms while (2) creating internet limits that put a stop to dangerous or harmful content.

Community and social media sites like Craigslist and Facebook give individuals access to:

• Buy and sell drugs
• Partake in human trafficking
• Engage in the distribution of child pornography

Plus, the dark web has grown dramatically over the past decade to include file-sharing sites like Pirate Bay, TOR, and ISOHunt. Harmful information goes beyond access to child porn or similar online content, too. It may also include:

• Hate speech against a specific group
• Details about illegal activities
• Defamatory online content
• Information on how to commit identity theft

Law enforcement agencies worldwide have spearheaded efforts to restrict access to harmful or false information. By restricting access to this content through direct censorship, local authorities and government organizations place common-sense limits on the type of content available. Even though many laws seem to overstep personal freedoms, the driving point is that internet censorship protects children.

Proponents of censorship also argue that it restricts the chances for predators to easily find targets. But while internet censorship regulations have lofty goals, dangerous people often find ways to defeat even the most well-meaning laws.

Minimize the Risk of Identity Theft and Other Cyber Threats

Cybercrimes are a rising concern in the digital era, and people store a lot of their personal and private information on their computers. Without the proper knowledge of passwords and privacy policies, users can leave themselves vulnerable online. Limiting the amount of information put online can assist in minimizing the threat of these cyber attacks.

If internet censorship is designed to prevent access to the tools and strategies used to commit cyber crimes, communities must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of this type of regulation.

Identity theft cases have skyrocketed in recent years. Criminals know that with access to certain information, such as a driver’s license, mailing address, or Social Security number, they can falsify information. With these tidbits, financial crimes have been committed to the degree that The World Economic Forum has pressured other countries to implement more control over internet traffic. Even more alarming is that criminals know an arrest warrant is unlikely, and if a criminal is caught, the average sentence means that committing internet-based crimes is often worth the risk.

Read our article about National Security Solutions For Corporations to learn more.

Eliminate Misleading and Fake News

With news media sites springing up all over the web, it can be hard to know what is real and what is fake news. Established news outlets like CNN, Fox, and CNBC are not the only players on the web anymore. With the end goal of profiting, there are many sites in existence that cash in on providing false, misleading articles online.

In this case, internet censorship may be able to reduce the amount of fake news that spreads online. Case in point: Over the past few election cycles, the sharing of fake news on social media has presented significant challenges. As social media companies exercise more control over the information posted on their sites, they’re able to limit the spread of potentially harmful or false news.

One of the best examples of fake news is the well-known review platform Ripoff Report. This is a website where disgruntled customers can voice their negative opinions online anonymously. If you are in need of a Ripoff Report removal  contact us today to learn more!

Protect Privacy

Online censorship programs can come with many benefits, especially if you’re struggling with access to violent material, negative information, or harmful content. Online censorship typically cleans that up for you automatically. This also goes for illegal activities and anything that goes against freedom of speech in general.

There are several advantages to using automated internet censorship tools, particularly those that target specific websites known for trafficking false information.

More importantly, there are times when personal information is leaked to the web. Strangers can use this information against you, potentially damaging your reputation. Censorship of this content can help protect your privacy and defend your reputation against harm.

Cons of Internet Censorship: When Limiting Access to Internet Content is Negative

As we’ve talked about, internet censorship has both advantages and disadvantages. In the above sections, we explored some of the advantages. Here, we will discuss many of the disadvantages of internet censorship and how it can possibly affect freedom-related human rights.

Private organizations and internet service providers that champion freedom of speech argue that internet censorship creates an unfair playing field — one that can have serious and long-term ramifications regarding freedom. Let’s talk about them.

Decrease the Flow of Information

The amount of factual, real news that is published online and through your internet service provider can be severely limited when internet censorship is implemented.

Already, there are individuals arrested each and every day for sharing inappropriate and illegal content online. And something as simple as liking a post on Facebook or commenting on a blog post can land you in a heap of legal trouble, even if the content you interacted with wasn’t necessarily dangerous or damaging.

Social media dominates online activity, with billions of daily users across various platforms. With that amount of activity, it’s inevitable that false content, damaging posts, and defamatory statements will make their way onto these platforms, potentially damaging your reputation.

Still, freedom of expression is paramount on social media platforms, which position themselves as champions of open speech. Any attempt to stifle open conversations can decrease information flow.

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Raise Costs of Internet Monitoring

One of the most notable disadvantages of internet censorship is its cost — and that cost is high . Google has seemingly endless results, and it would require a costly process to filter all of the information published online.

Many people are in favor of internet censorship until they realize how it could raise their taxes. Financial considerations are always at the forefront of any attempt to clamp down on open internet speech, and many an oversight entity has reconsidered its position after seeing the price tag associated with censoring material on the web.

Minimize Entrepreneurial Efforts

Nowadays, there’s a major boom in entrepreneurship and startups in the U.S., and it’s important for those businesses to promote themselves freely. The internet has become a primary economic driver, one of the positive results of the free exchange of information. Increasing internet censorship could have devastating consequences for local businesses, potentially locking them out of economic opportunities. Losing the freedom to sell certain products online could have dire effects on the nation’s economy.

Once there is a governing body acting as a mediator, it limits what you can actually do as an entrepreneur and how successful you will be. The internet may no longer be a viable tool for creating wealth, especially if censorship derails the free exchange of information and innovation. In the place of creative businesses could be a limited number of dominating monopolies.

Should We End Internet Censorship?

While there are plenty of reasons one may want to end censorship online, it is not a simple decision to make. There are hundreds of millions of stakeholders who rely on information online, be it good or bad.

For example, news organizations provide updates about crimes that may be unsightly to most readers. Does that mean the information should not be accessible online, though?

One alternative to internet censorship could include more robust access requirements, such as age restrictions. This could block access to harmful content for children while allowing adults to continue to access sensitive information. Social media sites could also crack down on their terms of service and have harsher punishments for breaching them.

Why Is Internet Censorship Important?

By now, you should have a decent understanding of internet censorship and the many arguments for and against it. It’s clear to see that some cases of online censorship, such as blocking children from dangerous content, are positive. On the other hand, some people want to avoid internet censorship when it comes to other subjects, like the transparency of news.

Proponents of censorship and restricted websites often put security over free expression. They feel that preventing the exchange of harmful content is more important than ultimate online freedom.

On the other hand, those fighting to avoid internet censorship argue that internet users should be able to make their own decisions about what can or cannot be posted online. An internet connection doesn’t necessarily mean you  have to access harmful information, just that you can potentially access that information.

Undoubtedly, the question of online freedom is a layered one. To ensure that your voice is heard in the digital space without unwanted noise, contact NetReputation today . Our team is ready to assist you with any information removal needs on the web.

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6 Internet Censorship Pros and Cons Everyone Should Know

August 28, 2023 • April Miller

What are the top internet censorship pros and cons? Is censorship online wrong or necessary? We often think of censorship as an abuse of moderation rights. However, there are certain cases where censorship is helpful for protecting users’ safety online. What are the pros and cons of internet censorship everyone should know? 

Internet Censorship Pros

Internet censorship pros and cons aren’t black and white. Many people have a negative perception of censorship, but the reality is that it can sometimes be beneficial. When implemented fairly and responsibly, censorship serves a few important purposes online. 

1. Preventing the Spread of Dangerous Content

The primary benefit of internet censorship is protection against the spread of dangerous or illegal content. Key examples of this include hate speech, illegal activity, cybercrime, threats of violence and misinformation. These types of content can put people in real-world danger, break laws or encourage violence. 

Internet censorship serves the crucial function of monitoring and limiting the spread of dangerous content. It prevents bad actors from using websites to conduct illegal activity or put others in harm’s way. 

2. Controlling Harassment and Bullying

Harassment and cyberbullying are serious problems online today. Among the many internet censorship pros and cons is a limit on content that could be offensive, aggressive or threatening toward others. Censorship can counteract the anonymity that fuels cyberbullying and harassment. 

This is especially true on websites made for children and teens, as well as minority groups who may be disproportionately targeted by online harassment. Censorship can help everyone use the internet without being personally attacked or insulted by others. 

3. Protecting National Security and Personal Information

Censorship isn’t always about preventing people from sharing their unfiltered opinions. Among the many pros and cons of internet censorship is the practical benefit of limiting the spread of sensitive information. 

For instance, a scammer might try to trick someone into posting their social security number online, but the website’s censorship algorithm stops the post from going live. Situations like this are increasingly common today. 

The FTC estimates that at least 95,000 Americans lost money to a social media scam in 2021. Scams and phishing can spread like wildfire online without adequate moderation to weed them out. Using censorship to prevent users from posting sensitive personal information can stop them from making big mistakes and help prevent identity theft. 

Additionally, it’s necessary on a practical level for government agencies to censor the sharing of national security information. When sensitive details about information like military activity or public safety can be freely shared online, it can put millions of people in danger. Internet censorship is necessary to prevent the unauthorized spread of data that could threaten national security. 

Internet Censorship Cons

There is often a fine line between internet censorship pros and cons. What was meant to protect people can quickly — and often — become a problem in its own right without careful and responsible implementation. What are the main drawbacks of internet censorship? 

1. Creating a Slippery Slope

Unfortunately, internet censorship can quickly go from being a safety measure to an abuse of moderation abilities. Censorship guidelines and regulations have to be clear, specific and enforceable or moderators may simply start censoring content based on personal preferences. 

It can be difficult to tell when censorship is beginning to go too far. Often it occurs when the balance between open dialogue and the well-being of the masses is broken. 

For instance, consider a large group of users commenting on a thread discussing a certain religion. They aren’t sharing hate speech, bullying anyone, threatening violence or breaking community guidelines. 

What if a moderator decides he or she doesn’t like what the users are debating about their religion, though? If the moderator censors the thread simply based on their personal dislike for the other users’ opinions, that can be an abuse of moderation rights. 

2. Blocking the Spread of Information

On a large scale, internet censorship can prevent the free spread of information, news and communication. This level of negative censorship most often occurs in nations or groups where the ruling organization prohibits any criticism of their rule or any discussion of ideas contrary to their own. Internet censorship can be used to prevent people from accessing information that might contradict propaganda or misinformation spread by a ruling party. 

Unfortunately, this particular issue can be very murky among internet censorship pros and cons. It relies heavily on an understanding of what exactly misinformation is. People who are convinced misinformation is actual fact may view ethical censorship as oppressive. Similarly, people may call actual facts misinformation in order to exercise unethical censorship. The fine line is all about distinguishing fact from fiction. 

Preventing the oppressive use of internet censorship requires strong media literacy skills to recognize misinformation. There are many free, independent organizations with resources for learning about fake news red flags and improving media literacy. Resources like these can go a long way toward understanding if censorship is fair or crossing a line. 

3. Limiting Freedom of Expression

Many would argue that among the many internet censorship pros and cons is a risk to freedom of expression. There are many countries where free speech is a protected right. In these places, any level of censorship can be seen as an infringement on that right. 

This is a fair concern for anyone to have. After all, if people aren’t hurting themselves or others, why shouldn’t they be allowed to discuss what they want online? The same goes for legal photo and video content, as well, such as a piece of art that some might hate while others love. 

Like any other aspect of internet censorship, there can be a lot of gray area in this criticism. First Amendment freedom of speech rights aren’t as all-inclusive as many people assume they are. For instance, the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution does not include the right to “incite imminent lawless action” , such as the online content that fueled the infamous January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. 

There’s a popular saying online today that “freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequences”. Someone may be free to post a threat of violence online, but doing so could get them rightfully arrested on suspicion of a crime. So, internet censorship guidelines have to be careful about blocking illegal or harmful content without eliminating non-violent freedom of expression. 

How to Analyze Internet Censorship Pros and Cons

It can be overwhelming trying to understand internet censorship pros and cons since there is so much gray area between the two categories. Ultimately, censorship is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. When used responsibly and ethically, it helps keep people safe online. However, there’s a fine line between ethical censorship and oppressive censorship. 

So, determining if a certain use of censorship is ethical or not can be difficult. It requires strong media literacy skills and an unbiased viewpoint. If something does get censored online, users can typically contact community support personnel to get more information on why the content was removed or filtered.

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Internet Censorship in 2024: Is It Good or Bad?

In this post

What is the purpose of internet censorship?

Where does internet censorship happen, what content is commonly censored, global internet censorship, how internet censorship works, advantages of internet censorship, disadvantages of internet censorship, how to avoid internet censorship.

Ever notice how something becomes even more interesting when it's out of reach? That's kind of what happens with the internet.

The internet has become an essential part of our lives, connecting us to information, communication, and entertainment. But what happens when internet access is limited or unavailable?

What is internet censorship? 

Internet censorship is the control or restriction of what can be accessed, published, or viewed on the internet, typically enforced by governments, organizations, or internet service providers

For some countries, the internet is a privilege, not a right, with restricted access to information.  There has been a significant increase in internet shutdowns in 2024. Countries like India, Pakistan, and Sudan have all experienced temporary suspensions of internet access.

But where there are walls, there are ways around them. That's where Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers come in. These handy tools act like secret tunnels, hiding your online activity and making it seem like you're browsing from a different location.  The debate on censorship is a hot one. Some folks believe it protects people, while others see it as stifling information and freedom.  This article will explore both sides of the issue and explain how you can navigate a censored internet. 

There are various reasons for Internet censorship, and some are more well-intentioned than others. There are use cases for protecting children from accessing sensitive information, and then there are authoritative attempts to gate a group of people’s access to important information to control the narrative.

Some instances include: 

• Stop people from accessing copyrighted information
• Keep people from viewing harmful or sensitive content
• Control Internet-related crime
• Monitor the billions of people on the Internet

While we typically think of Internet censorship as being controlled by governments, it’s commonly used by other organizations, like Internet service providers, to limit your access to certain sites.

Want to learn more about Social Media Listening Tools? Explore Social Media Listening Tools products.

Online censorship can happen surprisingly close to home and across vast geographical scales. 

Your Internet Service Provider  (ISP) might block certain websites or types of content, like pornography or file-sharing sites.  Even workplaces and schools can implement filters to restrict access to content they deem distracting or inappropriate. Governments of some countries have implemented extensive censorship measures. This can involve blocking specific websites, filtering entire categories of content, or even creating national firewalls to restrict access to the wider internet. Social media platforms and other online services have their own content moderation policies. They might remove content that violates their terms of service, including things like hate speech, bullying, or copyrighted material.

The key takeaway is that censorship can be a layered issue. You might encounter restrictions from your ISP, the national government, and even the individual platforms you use online.

The content filtered on the internet spans from illegal activities to culturally sensitive topics.

Governments and organizations often restrict access to illegal content like child pornography, violent extremism, and copyrighted material being distributed without permission.

However, censorship can extend beyond clear-cut illegality. Governments might limit access to information critical of their leadership or entirely control social media companies to manage the flow of information.

Cultural norms also influence censorship, with some countries censoring content like pornography or blasphemy that might be freely available elsewhere. Moreover, parents can install parental controls or set up firewalls at home to prevent children from accessing inappropriate websites.

Additionally, national security concerns can lead to censorship of sensitive information, such as military secrets or instructions on creating weapons.

Internet censorship varies widely around the world, ranging from little to no oversight to very pervasive control and surveillance. Let’s examine two countries on opposite sides of the spectrum.

Source : Statista

Internet censorship in America

Internet censorship in the US is among the least controlled in the world. This is mainly because most online activity is protected by First Amendment rights. There is still some surveillance and control when it comes to publishing certain content that may contain libel, child pornography, and intellectual property. While the Internet in the U.S. isn’t highly censored, it is highly regulated, which leads to a lot of self-censorship in America.

Internet censorship in China

Internet control and surveillance in China are among the strictest in the world. The Chinese government blocks a range of websites that contain content related to various historical independences, protests, freedom of speech, and pornography from its estimated 500 million Internet users. International media and news sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, are also flagged.

What countries have no internet censorship?

• Netherlands
• Switzerland

Since the type or level of internet censorship differs depending on the situation, so do the measures taken to enforce it. The most common methods of implementing censorship include:

DNS spoofing

DNS spoofing refers to manipulating the Domain Name System (DNS) to disrupt how web addresses translate to IP addresses.

Normally, when you enter a website address, your device queries a DNS server to find the corresponding IP address. The ISP can remove the IP address entries for specific websites from their DNS servers. When you try to access those sites, your device queries the tampered DNS server and receives no response, effectively blocking access.

Note: ISPs often use more sophisticated methods like traffic filtering or deep packet inspection to enforce censorship.

IP address blocking

Websites can be selective about who sees their content. Servers can block visitors by their IP address. Sometimes, governments or the website itself might restrict access based on location.

This is why you might see an error message saying the content isn't available in your region. The website is programmed to recognize your IP address , determine your location, and block your access based on pre-set rules. 

Blocking IP addresses can also be a security measure, stopping hackers from trying to break into the website or preventing overwhelming spam comments from bots.

URL filtering

URL filtering implements various techniques to control or restrict access based on predefined criteria.  One method URL filters use is keyword scanning. It analyzes the text on a webpage to see if it contains certain words or phrases. The filter can block your access entirely if the content touches topics deemed off-limits, like adult content. But keywords aren't the only tool. Security ratings can also come into play. If a website is known to be malicious or harbor viruses, the filter can shield you from it. Additionally, filters can check websites against blacklists – pre-compiled lists of known problematic domains – and block access accordingly.

Packet filtering

 Packet filtering examines the "headers" of data packets, like little labels containing information about the data they carry. These headers include the source IP, destination IP, protocol, and ports. Normally, packet filtering helps ensure that only authorized traffic flows through a network. It can identify and stop malicious packets from trying to enter. However, governments can configure the filter to target specific protocols or ports.

For instance, some tools people use to bypass censorship might rely on encryption or use less common ports. By recognizing these characteristics in the packet headers, the filter can block the traffic entirely, stopping people from using those tools. This restricts access to information the censors deem undesirable.

Traffic shaping

Traffic shaping allows network administrators to control the data flow, prioritizing certain types of traffic, such as emergency vehicles. For legitimate purposes, ISPs might use traffic shaping to limit bandwidth-heavy activities like video streaming during peak hours. This ensures everyone has a smooth internet experience. However, governments can specifically target traffic headed towards restricted websites. By slowing down the data flow in these lanes to a crawl, they can make these websites frustratingly slow and unreliable.

Imagine a lane on the highway deliberately congested, making it tedious and time-consuming. This discourages users from visiting the restricted sites altogether, achieving censorship through frustration rather than outright blocking.

Port blocking

Port blocking is a censorship technique that controls traffic based on specific entry points (ports) and the communication methods (protocols) used. By blocking specific ports commonly used by tools like VPNs, which encrypt internet traffic, censors attempt to restrict access to those tools.

However, this method has limitations. Some tools can disguise their traffic or use alternate ports to bypass the block, making it an ongoing game between censors and those seeking to circumvent censorship.

It’s important to remember that Internet censorship has advantages when used with the best intentions. These include:

• Create common-sense limits. Let’s be honest - there’s a lot of content on the Internet that no one should ever see (re: Momo Challenge), and the concept of Internet censorship can start a constructive conversation about it.
• Stop fake news. Closer content monitoring could reduce the mass amounts of fraudulent information, including false advertising.
• Curb access to harmful activities. The dark web is unchartered territory to the majority of Internet users, but some sites are shockingly easy to find that are dedicated to illegal acts like sex trafficking, child pornography, illicit drugs, and
• L ess identity theft. In theory, with less content on the Internet that requires identity information, there would be less identity theft. 

Some big disadvantages to Internet censorship affect the way people access information. These include:

• It restricts too much information. It’s entirely possible that real information is blocked along with fake information, which opens up a large debate about what you should and shouldn’t restrict/access. 
• Who’s in charge? How are rules defined? Are there checks and balances? Internet censorship could quickly turn into a matter of opinion on what is acceptable and what isn’t.
• Censors free speech. Internet censorship affects not only the content you can access but potentially the content you post as well. 
• Cost. This goes without saying, but the workforce required and the associated cost to control and survey Internet users would be astronomical—most likely at the taxpayer's expense.

It's important to understand that bypassing internet censorship can be complex and have risks. Here are some methods to consider, but legality and effectiveness can vary depending on location:

• VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in another location. This masks your IP address, making it appear as if you're browsing from a different country with fewer restrictions. However, some governments can still detect VPN use, and some VPN services might have limitations.

Best VPN providers in 2024

With VPN software, you can keep your online activities private and secure, and when it comes to selecting the best VPN, our top picks provide robust protection, lightning-fast speeds, and a user-friendly experience. Explore now: 

• Netgate pfSense
• Absolute Secure Access
• Check Point IPsec VPN

* These are the five leading VPN solutions from G2's Spring 2024 Grid® Report.

• Proxy Servers act as intermediaries between your device and the internet. You connect to the proxy server, which then fetches the website you want to access and relays the information back to you. Proxy networks can be free or paid, but some governments can block access to popular proxy servers.
• Secure browsers like Tor route your traffic through multiple volunteer-operated nodes, hiding your device as the origin of your connection. It allows you to access censored content if the last node is located in a country without the same restrictions.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Internet censorship is typically handled at the government level. Laws, cultures, and safety all play a role in these decisions. It's a hot topic with strong opinions on both sides.

While keeping kids safe and stopping bad things online is important, we also don't want to shut people out from information or free speech. It is a touchy subject, but it’s important to underline the facts and present both sides of the argument.

The best way forward is to talk things out openly and help people learn to be smart about what they see online. 

Learn about how access control lists (ACL) determine which traffic is blocked and which traffic is forwarded to the network.

Bridget Poetker

Bridget Poetker is a former content team lead at G2. Born and raised in Chicagoland, she graduated from U of I. In her free time, you'll find Bridget in the bleachers at Wrigley Field or posted up at the nearest rooftop patio. (she/her/hers)

Explore More G2 Articles

Building the (Fire) Wall: Internet Censorship in the United States and China

In a time of ever-increasing wealth of information on the internet, China has become notorious for having the most stringent internet censorship policies and surveillance systems in the world. Search engines and social media platforms that are ubiquitous in the United States and much of the world—like Google, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter—are blocked from China’s internet. In response, the US government, US technology companies, non-profit activist groups, and think tanks have publicly criticized and taken action against China’s restrictive policies. However, the newly instituted “Clean Network Initiative” in the United States strikes eerie parallels with China’s “Great Firewall,” leading to concerns about the state of internet freedom in the United States and abroad. As governments limit what citizens can and can’t see on the web, internet freedom and accessibility is threatened, limiting conduits for democratic thought, innovation and research, and global communication.

A Brief History of China’s Internet Censorship

Before President Xi Jinping’s rise to power in China, the internet was a relatively transparent and open platform for discussion. Although the Chinese government implemented restrictions on the internet almost as soon as its inception with a national network security and content blocking project, the Golden Shield, it had few restrictions and was easily circumvented by citizens. At the turn of the millennium, popular bloggers and influencers were able to advocate for social and political reforms by organizing protests and exposing political corruption through the internet. In the late 1990s, the China Democracy Party grew from twelve members in one region to hundreds of members across the country, primarily through email communication. Around the same time, the spiritual group Falun Gong used mobile phones and email to organize a silent protest against the Chinese government’s suppression of their religious practices. As more people gained access to the internet, the use of bulletin board systems (BBS) and chat rooms became critical for publicizing sensitive political topics and creating discussion forums for underground organizations.

However, dissenting groups and protests quickly drew harsh responses from Chinese authorities. Leaders of the China Democracy Party and Falun Gong were traced and imprisoned. Government paranoia surrounding the internet was further heightened by the introduction of modern social media platforms, such as Sina Weibo. By 2013, over 2 million citizens were employed as “public opinion analysts” to monitor user activity and social media, while other officials blocked posts that were deemed threatening to the party and published party propaganda masked as ordinary citizens.

The election of President Xi Jinping ushered in a new era of the China Communist Party’s (CCP) control over the internet; in 2016, Xi demanded that “all the work by the party’s media … reflect the [China Communist Party]’s will, safeguard the party’s authority, and safeguard the party’s unity.” His efforts to strengthen the Golden Shield and the “Great Firewall of China” involve collaboration between “the government and the domestic technology and telecommunications companies compelled to enforce the state’s rules.” These projects aim to ensure complete social and political conformity in the real and virtual world.

Consequences of Censorship

In response to domestic and international criticism, Chinese authorities argue that internet regulation is necessary for national security, social stability, and the protection of Chinese culture. However, this comes at a high cost; China faces serious repercussions in its economic development, scientific advancement, and creative innovation. China’s internet is “notoriously unreliable” and “ranks 91st in the world for speed” due to its large network of censors and restrictions, despite its general improvement in internet infrastructure.

This lack of efficiency can significantly slow economic growth, especially for corporations who struggle to keep their websites online due to China’s commercial censorship aimed specifically at foreign industries. Many in the global trade community claim that “China’s internet controls constitute a barrier to market access and are therefore a violation of China’s global trade obligations.”

Although scientific innovation is particularly valued by the Chinese government and in Chinese culture, the Chinese government continues to ban access to valuable internet resources such as Google Scholar, which are crucial for international scientific collaboration. Before 2015, many Chinese scientists and citizens used virtual private networks (VPNs) to route their internet traffic through foreign servers, bypassing the firewalls on Chinese servers and staying hidden from government surveillance. However, President Xi’s 2015 crackdown on VPNs made it nearly impossible to use them within China’s cyber-borders. In response, one Chinese biologist lamented the inefficiency of internet research in China in an essay entitled “Why Do Scientists Need Google?” He wrote: “If a country wants to make this many scientists take out time from the short duration of their professional lives to research technology for climbing over the Great Firewall and to install and to continually upgrade every kind of software for routers, computers, tablets and mobile devices, no matter that this behaviour wastes a great amount of time; it is all completely ridiculous.”

US Policy and Industry Intervention

The United States has traditionally been a major supporter of global free speech and internet accessibility, and has advocated for policies to “promote internet freedom in China’s increasingly restrictive environment and to mitigate the global impact of Chinese government censorship.” In 2000 for example, Congress established the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) “to monitor China’s compliance with international human rights standards, to encourage the development of the rule of law in the PRC, and to establish and maintain a list of victims of human rights abuses in China.”

The US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), formerly the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), is an independent agency of the US government that aims to “inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.” The USAGM sponsors Radio Free Asia, a non-profit news corporation, that connects with in-country sources and journalists to provide censored information to the Chinese public.

Private US information and communications industry interests in promoting free internet access in China are represented through the Global Network Initiative (GNI) ; members of the GNI include high-profile companies like Google, Microsoft, Verizon, and Facebook. Like many others in the global trade community, these corporations cite that China’s restrictions are unjustly discriminatory towards foreign industry.

US Clean Network Initiative

At the same time that US initiatives attempt to promote internet freedom in China, domestic policies threaten that same ideal at home. On August 5, 2020, the Trump administration, under Secretary of State Michael Pompeo’s direction, announced its expansion of the Clean Network Initiative , which builds upon the 5G Clean Path Initiative .  The Clean Network initiative aims to guard “citizens’ privacy and [US] companies’ most sensitive information from aggressive intrusions by malign actors, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).”

Pompeo’s press statement delineates five principles of a “clean network”:

• Clean Carrier: Ban untrusted People’s Republic of China (PRC) cell carriers from connecting to US networks.
• Clean Store: Remove untrusted PRC apps from US app stores to prevent spread of viruses, propaganda, and violation of privacy.
• Clean Apps: Block untrusted PRC smartphone manufacturers, such as Huawei, from pre-installing trusted apps (from the United States or abroad) on their app store.
• Clean Cloud: Prevent US personal information and intellectual property (ex. COVID-19 vaccine research) from being stored in cloud-based systems that can be accessed by foreign adversaries, such as the PRC (ex. Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent).
• Clean Cable: Protect undersea cables from intelligence gathering by the PRC.

The justification for these restrictive, China-centered policies are summed up in Pompeo’s concluding sentence: “building a Clean fortress around our citizens’ data will ensure all of our nations’ security.” Ironically, the Chinese government similarly often cites national security to justify its harsh restrictions, even when empirical evidence does not support their claims. Both the Clean Network Initiative and the Great Firewall require concessions of internet freedoms from their citizens in return for vague promises of national security and privacy. They also paint foreign influences as “intruders” upon the nation’s internet (though the internet was not created with state borders or separations), with China’s policies warding against almost all foreign nations while the Clean Network specifically targets China. The United States and China are essentially waging an “internet sovereignty” war, where each side employs the tactics of the other.

The day after the introduction of the Clean Network Initiative, President Donald Trump published an executive order imposing sanctions on the Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat, which aims to remove them from US app stores and prohibit transactions between consumers and the apps. While US citizens would still be able access TikTok and WeChat if the apps are already on their device, they would not receive new software updates, effectively resulting in the apps becoming unusable over time.

During one of the many preliminary injunctions against Trump’s executive order, a judge blocked the order due to a lack of specific evidence regarding the presumed insecurity of WeChat. Another federal judge questioned “whether the order would harm First Amendment rights,” arguing that “it would shut down the primary means of communication for the Chinese community.” WeChat is one of the only social media platforms available to users in China, so users abroad rely on WeChat to stay connected with their families, friends, and business partners in China.

While Trump and Pompeo claim that these measures are necessary to our national security, the lack of concrete evidence behind their claims and singular focus on Chinese media point to other geopolitical motivations. The Clean Network Initiative doesn’t specify exactly which Chinese-owned applications will be removed; for example, it is unclear whether Chinese-owned entertainment platforms such as League of Legends are banned, since League of Legends is owned by TENCENT, one of the companies mentioned in the Initiative under “Clean Cloud.” However, it is abundantly clear that the Clean Network Initiative and Trump’s executive order specifically target Chinese-controlled social media platforms, telecommunications providers, and cell phone manufacturers, which disproportionately impact Chinese American communities (compared to League of Legends, which has a much more diverse user base). These policies exhibit a degree of xenophobia and racism against Chinese American citizens and discourages any ties, whether professional, familial, or (rarely) political, with China.

In the Clean Network Initiative, Pompeo emphasizes that “more than thirty countries and territories are now Clean Countries,” and urges other US allies to join this pact. By turning other countries against Chinese media and the CCP, the Trump administration may be attempting to assert US dominance in the international cybersphere and promote a pro-American internet free of Chinese influence.

Upon the introduction of these policies, Beijing has expressed outrage at the clear distrust of Chinese companies and government. In an interview, the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi claimed that this is a “textbook case of bullying,” since he believes the United States is acting to “keep its monopoly in science and technology but deny other countries the legitimate right to development.” He also accuses the United States of conducting its own mass surveillance around the world and domestically, contradicting the principles delineated in Pompeo’s press release. While Wang Yi claims that China promotes open business environments and international exchanges in science and technology, it is clear that neither China nor the United States is accomplishing those goals with their mutual censorship and foreign internet policy.

International Implications

Global internet freedom has declined as countries have imposed stricter censorship policies and weaponized social media as a tool to advance state agendas. Chinese development of more advanced censorship software and social media surveillance tools have often been seen by many in the international community as the inspiration in the development of their own censorship programs. Chinese firms reportedly connected to the Chinese government, such as Semptian and Knowlesys, advertise their surveillance products at international trade shows, demonstrating features such as “monitoring your targets’ messages, profiles, locations, behaviors, relationships, and more” as well as how to “monitor public opinion for election.” Authoritarian regimes can easily purchase these systems to find and block dissident users, creating an environment of fear and self-censorship in cyberspace.

The downward spiral of internet freedom threatens the very values the Internet was founded on: quite literally named the “world wide web,” it aimed to enable open and free access to information across the globe. This vision of a globally connected network is at risk of crumbling under increasing internet censorship within individual countries. This push towards a divided internet limits global conversations and collaboration, while further polarizing each nation by creating echo chambers in which we can only hear our own voices. At a time when global cooperation is needed more than ever, we are building more walls than we are tearing down.

Cover photo: President Donald J. Trump joins Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, at the start of their bilateral meeting Saturday, June 29, 2019, at the G20 Japan Summit in Osaka, Japan. Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead, Public domain, accessed via Wikimedia Commons .

Qijia Zhou is a staff writer for the HIR. Qijia is interested in international politics, as well as the intersection between science and policy.

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Harvard Law & Policy Review

Online Censorship Is Unavoidable—So How Can We Improve It?

By Ben Horton*

A few weeks ago, Professors Jack Goldsmith and Andrew Keane Woods ignited controversy by suggesting in the Atlantic that China was right and America was wrong about internet censorship and surveillance. This seemingly contrarian stance rubbed people the wrong way , especially given reports that China’s online censorship delayed their response to COVID-19 and that Chinese agents have actively disseminated disinformation about the virus—and then attempted to suppress reports revealing their disinformation campaign .

Except the professors’ critics seem to have missed the point of their essay. Goldsmith and Woods said China was right that the internet inevitably would be censored and surveilled, not that China’s methods were normatively appealing.

Even discounting existing state surveillance and censorship on the internet in the United States, private surveillance and censorship is ubiquitous. And, notwithstanding our intuitions, most people want an internet that is subject to ubiquitous censorship—that is, “content moderation.”

Putting aside illegal content (child pornography, snuff films, etc.), most consumers do not want to be inundated with what Sarah Jeong has dubbed “ the internet of garbage .” They do not want to be harassed, bullied, threatened, or spammed on the internet. And in the midst of a global pandemic, they want to ensure disinformation is kept to a minimum. They want to limit harmful speech.

Part of our problem is we still think of speech burdens in a binary, on-off way. But especially online, the question is not whether you can find content, it is how hard it will be to be find and how much it will be amplified .

The question is not if there will be censorship and surveillance, [1] the question is who gets to do it, and how it is done. Right now a relatively small group of private actors make not only the substantive decisions about content on the internet, they decide the process that drives those decisions and how information flows through their networks. They wield enormous power , and are almost completely unaccountable to the public.

So, what are our options?

Option 1: Stay the Course

First, the United States could continue to shield tech companies from most tort-based liability for content posted on their platforms via Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act , maintain an expansive view of the First Amendment, and not substantively regulate tech companies.

Supporters of the current system largely admit that ubiquitous content moderation is good, so long as it is private. They hold that a system of private speech regulation provides a market incentive for platforms to reach a Goldilocks-zone of content moderation : Enough harmful speech is blocked that it is possible to maintain deliberative communication amid the noise, but not so much that deliberative communication is also blocked. Consumers have a choice, and services that fail to moderate will either fail or be consigned to the dark corners of the internet .

But how real is that choice? Alphabet owns the two most popular websites in the world. Facebook (through its eponymous service and Instagram), Twitter, and Reddit collectively dominate U.S. social media . Over the past twenty years who has rivaled them? MySpace? Snapchat? Yahoo!? Tumblr? Even including these rivals, American consumers have had two significant options for their search engines and four or five social media sites. And, at least in part, that lack of choice is due to the inaction by antitrust enforcers at the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice when Google bought YouTube and when Facebook acquired Instagram . In a monopolistic environment consumers can try to campaign for changes to private companies’ policies, but their effectiveness might rely on some of the substantive regulations discussed below.

As Evelyn Douek has argued, these platforms are increasingly cooperative in their moderation decision-making , making consumer choice even more illusory. YouTube’s policies on terrorism-related content are not significantly different than Facebook’s or Twitter’s because they all belong to the same private group that develops those standards. Facebook’s new Oversight Board is probably a step in the right direction, but what happens if it becomes the de facto decision-maker for social media standards generally?

Finally, the market theory is contingent on the assumption that people choose their networks based on the ability of the network to curate information. But the profit incentive of social media companies is to increase our engagement—which might mean pushing harmful content on users , or at least enabling that sort of thing ( until they’re caught ). The negative effects of this content might be exaggerated , but without greater transparency we just don’t know.

Aside from the harms of disinformation, staying the course has the additional drawback of eliminating the United States from the global conversation about internet governance. As Microsoft President Brad Smith mentioned in a recent interview , in the future, tech companies may simply adapt their products to the regulations of the European Union and other Western democracies that lack stringent First Amendment or Section 230 protections against government involvement in online speech. We already see this to some extent with the NetzDG law in Germany, which, if nothing else, is offering us some useful transparency on content moderation.

Or tech companies themselves might simply decide how public health crises are managed .

Either way, the United States government, for better or worse, will simply not have much of a say in what the internet looks like.

Option 2: Content-Based Regulations

For constitutional reasons, the approach of regulating speech based on its content is closed off to the United States. There is a lively academic debate about the status of lies and hate speech under the First Amendment. But absent a political revolution, it will remain an academic debate. The Supreme Court has said, in an 8-1 opinion , it will not open up new “uncovered” zones of speech. Content-based regulations of harmful speech will continue to be subject to strict scrutiny, and they will continue to be struck down.

In the U.S. context, at least for the foreseeable future, content-based censorship will continue to be ubiquitous and limited to private actors. That does not mean we need to leave the speech moderating apparatus entirely to the private sector.

Option 3: Torts, Competition, Process, and Friction

Contrary to cyber-libertarians, the options available are not limited to “censorship” or no regulation at all. We have other tools at our disposal. The key is to focus on content-neutral regulations, especially those that govern the flow of information rather than regulations that criminalize certain content.

As a threshold matter, these policies do not have to—and likely will not—take the form of flat bans and mandates. They might be conditions attached to liability immunities or tax incentives, and they can—and should—distinguish between different types of online services. Of course, companies have been lobbied, and should be lobbied, to make these changes on their own; I am arguing that there is some role for direct government regulation in these realms.

First, we could reform Section 230. While supporters maintain that Section 230 is necessary to ensure that platforms can engage in decent moderation without fear of liability , detractors argue that a well-crafted alternative could still shield sites that engage in good-faith moderation without shielding sites that are designed to facilitate human trafficking , for instance. And regardless of where you stand on the 230 debate, given bipartisan support for both SESTA – FOSTA and the delayed “ EARN IT Act ,” 230 as we know it is unlikely to survive. If we want sensible intermediary liability protection, and not a patchwork of exceptions that probably make the internet less safe, the 230-or-nothing stance is increasingly politically untenable.

Second, we can advocate for regulations that promote competition, creating a market where consumers have real choices and their choices make a difference. This need not be the traditional “breaking up” of companies given the beneficial network effects consumers find in centralized services and the possible aggravation of harm that a balkanized internet could bring . Pro-competition policy could start with blocking the sale of startups to Facebook and Google . It could include the imposition of substantive requirements, like an information fiduciary responsibility or interoperability requirement on organizations with a certain share of the market. Any regulations, however, need to be sensitive to the needs of non-profits with large user bases and low revenues .

Third, and more controversially, we can require more transparent processes in content moderation. A number of organizations have released and advocated for the “ Santa Clara Principles .” These include, at a minimum, publishing the number of posts and accounts taken down organized by the category of violation, providing notice to users whose accounts or posts are taken down, and instituting some kind of appeal process. If content-based moderation decisions are largely going to be done by private actors, their legitimacy relies on being transparent and understandable to the public. Even if changes are brought about by private pressure, we cannot collectively criticize and improve on secret processes .

Finally, and most controversially, maybe we can impose content-neutral, friction-creating regulations that force consumers to be more deliberate in sharing and consuming information. For instance, WhatsApp recently limited its forwarding function so that any messages that come from a chain of more than five people must be forwarded one chat at a time. This type of rule is not content-based; it applies to speech based on its virality, not the “topic, idea or message” communicated. Disclosure requirements—revealing, for example, whether or not a human is speaking —might also increase friction and deliberation. And some regulations of social media’s “frictionless” design might be allowable under the First Amendment.

These regulations avoid the hard epistemological questions and constitutional hurdles of defining harmful speech. They regulate the flow of information regardless of its content instead of worrying about speech concerning a particular topic. Furthermore, they ban no speech—deliberate communication is unaffected.

There are pros and cons to every policy mentioned, with administrability challenges and constitutional issues . But to reach a substantive discussion of the realistic possibilities for regulation in the U.S. context, the conversation needs to move beyond the false binary of “censorship versus free speech.”

* Ben Horton is a rising 3L at Harvard Law School and an Online Editor for HLPR.

[1] I am not talking about the problems of surveillance presented by innovations like the Ring doorbell , or facial recognition . I am referring to the level of surveillance necessary to ensure that speech is successfully moderated on platforms—being able to tie punishments to certain accounts, for example. That overlaps with the problems of online behavioral manipulation and surveillance capitalism, which I am not addressing in this post.

19 Biggest Pros and Cons of Censorship

Censorship is defined as the suppression of ideas, images, or words that some people find to be offensive to them in some way. It happens whenever there are personal, moral, or political values from one group that get placed onto another in some way. Although it is often viewed through the lens of government policies, this processed can be carried out by anyone, including private groups, religious organizations, and even schools.

It must be mentioned that a private group or individual can organize boycotts, demonstrate in protest, and take other actions that are defined as free speech. When taken to the extreme, even rights protected by the First Amendment can become dangerous. The ACLU notes that the Hollywood Blacklists during the McCarthy period were from private pressure groups and not the government.

What is unique about American society is the amount of ambivalence there is toward censorship. Even the 1996 Communications Decency Act in the United States is a form of it, even if the “intentions are good” from the point of view of the majority.

That’s why we must be proactive about the perceived pros and cons that there are with censorship. When it becomes permissible to restrict the actions, words, and thoughts of one group of people, it can create opportunities to target other groups in society too.

List of the Pros of Censorship

1. Censorship can reduce the impact of hate speech in society. The idea that all speech is equal is arguably false. There are words that people use as an effort to shut down the right to speak of others. It took over a century for minorities and women to gain a semblance of equal rights because of the presence of hate speech. Even if it is clothed in the ideas of religious freedom, state’s rights, or patriotism, that doesn’t change what it is to others.

Censorship gives us the opportunity to stop this hate before it can get started. We already live within the confines of education, family, entertainment, commerce, and more. This limiting process creates more opportunities for equality.

2. Censorship can protect children from unhealthy content. Parents have plenty of work to do in today’s society to protect their children from unhealthy influences. There is content everywhere, including items that slip through parental filters and kid-friendly apps, that could lead to harmful encounters in the future. Children have fewer qualms about talking with strangers online than adults do primarily because of the way kids see the world. They have more innocence, curiosity, and might even be shy and lonely.

Censorship allows us to cut through the ignoring of potential threats so that a child’s inexperience and lack of foresight doesn’t get them into trouble. By stopping people before they can act (or the child can respond) to a situation, we can keep everyone safer because of certain restrictions.

3. Censorship can reduce the amount of conflict that is in society. If you look on the Internet long enough, there will be something that can offend anyone. The goal of censorship isn’t to eliminate access to anything that anyone might find to be problematic. We wouldn’t get to go online if that were the case. What we can do with this process is to limit access to information that could have an adverse impact on the overall culture of our homes, communities, or countries.

Netflix and Saudi Arabia work together to create targeted areas of censorship based on this principle. Whether you agree or disagree with the practice, this work removes access to content that might be disruptive to society.

4. Censorship can provide another level of security to a country’s profile. We also use censorship as a way to limit the amount of information that the general public receives every day from their government, businesses, and large institutions. Without this concept, top secret files could be made public with a simple request. Proprietary ingredients wouldn’t be available because of the need for disclosure. By limiting certain types of data from the primary flow of society, there is less of a potential for harm.

5. Censorship protects the rights of artists, innovators, and inventors. Did you know that copyright laws are a form of censorship? The same is said for patents and any other legal construct that gives someone exclusive access to a specific form of content or work without allowing others to do the same. We have these protections in place to protect the “creation rights” of the first person who pursued this idea.

Preventing plagiarism and IP theft gives us the foundation of an economy. If your work doesn’t receive some level of protection, then it can be stolen by someone who can put it together cheaper than you. Small businesses get to stay competitive because of the acceptable elements of censorship that we maintain in society.

6. Censorship provides us with a vehicle to stop false content. There are censorship laws in place that prevent businesses from lying to you about their products or services. Advertisements must be a direct reflection of what you can expect if you make a purchase. Failing to remain honest can result in fines and penalties. Without this advantage, businesses could say or do anything in an attempt to get you to buy their stuff. You can avoid the risks of false pretense thanks to the protections that remain in place because of this advantage.

7. Censorship can work to improve a person’s knowledge. People tend to believe what they see when consuming media and the various forms of content that are available. By removing items that could create a panic from public view, government and law enforcement officials can provide better protection, reduce the spread of rumors, and encourage individuals to review the information they see before coming to a conclusion. People can use this technique to promote the flow of negative data to create a specific result, but this process is also useful for the times when you want to create a positive outcome as well.

8. Censorship can limit the impact of identity theft. There are over 15 million reports of identity theft each year. In a recent data breach reported by Experian, the information of over 120 million people was exposed. When there is so much information floating around on the Internet and in other public places that is readily accessible, then it is possible for people to become victims of a crime without realizing it until they need to apply for credit or receive a notice in the mail.

Children can become victims of identity theft as well. Their clean profiles make for a tempting target, especially if there is no verification of age or data during the application process. Censorship of this information can provide a layer of protection because it stops access to it while holding those who keep it responsible for their conduct.

9. Censorship helped to create our ratings system. There are times when censorship can get out of hand, but it is also a process that can be used for good. An excellent example of this benefit comes from the ratings systems that we use for entertainment products, including movies, video games, and music. Until 1984, films went from PG to R, which eventually led to a PG-13 rating being developed after parents called for action after taking their children to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Ratings on music allow us to see if lyrics are explicit so that we can decide if we want to listen to the song. TV ratings give us a guide to see if a show is appropriate for our needs or what our families want to watch. Movie ratings do the same.

List of the Cons of Censorship

1. It represses one group of people in favor for what the majority wants. A museum director was once arrested because sexually explicit photographs from Robert Mapplethorpe were included in an art exhibited that was being managed. Although the artist’s work displays images, often black and white, that feature nudity and a certain amount of suggestiveness, it was far from violent or suggestive content that would encourage lawlessness.

Under the laws of the United States, it would be fair to say that the country is the most speech-protective nation in the world. When it comes to sexual speech, things are different because there are still remnants of the country’s Puritan heritage remaining in the law. Even the Supreme Court has affirmed that censorship on moral grounds is permissible.

2. It allows people to create a specific narrative in society to call it truth. You will often hear calls for censorship on violence when they see it in video games, read it in books, or see examples of it in film or on TV. The reality of fictional violence is that it does not cause otherwise stable people to suddenly want to hurt someone. If we start suppressing material based on the actions of unstable people, then nothing would be safe from the censorship process.

The work most often cited by people as a way to justify their harmful actions against others is the Bible. As the ACLU points out, Ted Bundy collected cheerleading magazines. If there were a clear cause-and-effect argument that could be proven, then a limit on expression here could be warranted. Until there is such an example, it is not.

3. It stops people from pursuing career opportunities. If we live in a world where everything receives censorship, then it would be a place where nothing could get done without specific permission from someone in charge. That means every business, each idea, and even the foods that you would eat each night would come with an official stamp of approval. It creates an Orwellian landscape where direct supervision by an authoritative figure or state becomes “necessary” for the greater good of all.

Because of this disadvantage, there is always at least one person who sits above the societal constructs. They receive permission to do whatever they want because it is their responsibility to approve everything else. If you have enough wealth or influence, then you could get approvals for things that others would not have.

4. It reduces the overall intelligence of the general public. Censorship requires that the general population be under tight controls so that specific outcomes are achievable every time. It is an attempt to prevent individuals from discovering what the truth of any situation happens to be. Even an attempt at suggesting that content is fake or untrustworthy, as the Trump Administration does so often with the news media, is a way to create censorship from an official capacity.

It’s one thing to have a person say, “I don’t like watching CNN because I feel like their news stories are fake.” When the president of a country says that the news media is the enemy of the state, then it creates a position from authority, especially when he says that it has a “major role to play as far as tone and as far as everything.”

5. It prevents an individual from expressing themselves freely. In a no-rules environment that is completely free of censorship, anyone could post anything that they want without fear of reprisal. The United States walks a fine line along this path by preventing the use of “obscene” items. Other countries take this issue a little further, outlawing social media posts that are determined to be at odds with the official position of the nation’s government.

Nicholas Demas from Mic completed a profile of eight social medial users who were arrested for what they said online in 2013. Matt Woods posted inappropriate comments about a 5-year-old at a time when he was drunk, earning him three months in jail. Some governments use their power to arrest those who are deemed to be in opposition.

6. It shifts where the responsibility of consumption is in society. When the government is responsible for what people can access for information, then there is no longer any personal accountability for one’s actions. This process cedes control of ethics, morality, and standards to whomever is in charge of implementing these policies. Once someone is willing to allow another individual, company, or elected official to tell them how to think, feel, and act, it becomes much easier to let more control over life’s decisions disappear as well. Instead of being individuals, censorship turns people into commodities.

We already see the impact of this disadvantage in China. If someone adds comments that are anti-government, violent, or sexually graphic, then the content is subject to automatic deletion. Do it enough times and the account will be deleted.

7. It creates an adverse impact on the economy at all levels. When censorship starts blocking any form of content because it doesn’t meet someone’s perspective on what is “decent” or offends someone, then there are fewer economic opportunities that become available at all levels of society. Businesses can no longer promote themselves because their advertising might be offending someone. Companies can’t train workers because the processes could be considered offensive by someone. It creates a world where our actions are dictated by others, so those with the loudest voices will typically have the most control.

8. It allows a false narrative to become the truth. If you ask the average person living in North Korea what they think of the world, they’ll tell you that the United States is one of the worst countries in the world, that their standard of living is excellent, and that life is beautiful all of the time. Never mind that the average person in that country earns $3 per month or less, that 18 million people need food assistance to avoid malnutrition, and there is no access to basic medical care. There are also extreme human rights issues, such as a complete curtailing of freedom of expression, religious practices, or even independent civil society organization. It is a land of torture, arbitrary arrest, and public executions.

The Trump Administration wants to label anything in opposition to its viewpoint as being fake because that indicates their content is the truth. It is another form of a false narrative intended to get a specific reaction out of supporters as a way to keep power.

9. It is expensive to be engaged in the practice of censorship. The cost to shut down the Internet to prevent specific content items from being viewed by the general public was over $2 billion in 2015. Cutting connectivity in just one country can be more than $100 million. Those expenses are only the tip of the iceberg to consider when looking at the practical enforcement of censorship on others.

China on its own pays more than $2 billion each year just to keep its firewall in place to limit information access online. There are hundreds of thousands of workers who monitor individual activities, with some sites allowing back-end access to facilitate this work. When you look at the direct and indirect expenses in every other category, the world likely spends over $100 billion to create altered information flows that people accept in fact.

10. It creates repression so that it encourages compliance. One of the most-banned books in the world today is The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. What is so remarkable about that fact is that the author was a devout Catholic and a good friend of C.S. Lewis. He once wrote a letter to Lewis to say that his trilogy and The Hobbit were unconsciously written from a Christian perspective at first, and then edited consciously to incorporate those themes.

Christian churches and schools are the most likely places where you will see these works banned because they are viewed as being anti-religious or anti-Christian. That’s why a singular viewpoint being in charge of censorship is so dangerous to society. It can be an ill-informed opinion that is completely contrary to the work in question, yet the power it has to condemn can influence countless others.

Verdict on the Pros and Cons of Censorship

Some people look at the idea of censorship as a way to add common-sense restrictions to our daily routines so that we can stay safe and protect our children. The other side of that equation is that families can set their own limits, establish rules, and create circumstances that fit their needs without imposing their morality or beliefs on others.

That’s not to say that all forms of content should be allowed in society. Murder videos, child pornography, and similar items that encourage violence against others or promote actual harm in the images is a safety factor that we cannot ignore.

That’s why the crux of the pros and cons of censorship work to distinguish fictional content from factual items. We don’t outlaw murder mystery novels because someone in the story dies. We would outlaw content that showed a murder because a real person was harmed in the process of its creation.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet Censorship: Unveiling the Web

Table of contents, introduction, the issue’s, current scenario, perspectives, possible solutions, bibliography.

• https://www.ukessays.com/essays/media/the-advantages-of-internet-censorship-media-essay.php
• https://alair.ala.org/bitstream/handle/11213/258/Plain%20Facts%20about%20Internet%20Filtering%20Software.pdf?sequence=76&isAllowed=y
• https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/14/16777626/ajit-pai-net-neutrality-speech
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323187023_Teacher_Perspective_on_Internet_Censorship_in_Turkey
• https://www.ifla.org/publications/trends-in-transition-from-classical-censorship-to-intenet-censorship-selected-country-o
• https://fee.org/articles/the-blockchain-can-solve-internet-censorship-and-copyright-issues/
• https://medium.com/nauticus-blockchain/five-smart-uses-for-blockchain-technology-b1bc8630707b
• https://futureofworking.com/8-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-internet-censorship/
• https://www.jurist.org/news/2013/01/governments-abusing-internet-surveillance-and-censorship-technologies-report/
• https://citizenlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Planet-Blue-Coat.pdf
• https://vittana.org/13-internet-censorship-pros-and-cons
• http://bileta.ac.uk/content/files/conference%20papers/2008/Internet%20Censorship%20and%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%20%5BRonald%20Kakungulu%5D.pdf
• https://ipfs.io/
• https://www.inverse.com/article/47948-everipedia-just-launched-a-blockchain-wiki-that-governments-can-t-censor
• https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Censorship — Analysis of the Benefits of Internet Censorship

Analysis of The Benefits of Internet Censorship

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Published: Aug 30, 2022

Words: 1218 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

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Internet censorship can strengthen national security, censorship can limit the number of incidents of identity theft, internet censorship can protect the children from the harmful content of the internet.

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