Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet Censorship

Internet censorship is the control or suppression of what can be accessed, published, or viewed on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations at the behest of government, regulators, or on their own initiative. Individuals and organizations may engage in self-censorship for moral, religious, or business reasons, to conform to societal norms, due to intimidation, or out of fear of legal or other consequences.

Sites usually targeted

• Political blogs and web sites
• Religious sites

Advantages of Internet Censorship

• Internet Censorship can help preserve national security
• Internet Censorship can help protect people from content that can be deemed in appropriate e.g child pornography sites
• Internet Censorship can reduce online scams
• Internet Censorship can promote copyright protection particulary content like music, movies etc
• Internet Censorship can guide against spamming which is a huge challenge in the computing world
• Internet Censorship can help address hate crimes and online bullying.

Disadvantages of Internet Censorship

• Internet Censorship limits the freedoms of speech
• Internet Censorship violates of basic human rights
• Internet Censorship limits people’s potential to access information that can facilitate development in their lives
• Internet Censorship gives governments too much power and control over what can be accessed and what can not
• Internet Censorship limits a society’s ability to advance in its understanding of the world

Countries in the world known as “Enemies of the Internet”

• Bahrain
• Belarus
• Burma
• China
• Cuba
• Iran
• North Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• Syria
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam