Running Head: Internet Censorship

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Internet Censorship
Jae Seok Eo
University of Texas at El Paso
RWS 1302

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Abstract
As technology develops, more and more people use internet as the
source of getting information and entertainment. However, due to people's
thoughtless posting of information, music, photos, or entertainments on their
social networking sites or the internet website, these are being restricted and
censored in order to avoid spread of false information, dangerous information
to other countries, and any posting that affects children or teenagers
negatively. Many people strongly disagrees or complains about internet
censorship, arguing that censorship is against the freedom of speech and
freedom of press. Some people agrees to censorship because it blocks raunchy
postings, which may affect teenagers or children. They also argues that
censorship allows people to avoid false information. The purpose of this
literary review is to display current situation of internet censorship in many
counties, explore opinions of both sides that supports or opposes internet
censorship, and take a look at some solution to internet censorship issue.

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Internet Censorship: A Review of Literature

Nowadays, the majority of people use internet and many uses social
networking in order to communicate with friends or strangers, and share
music, movies, photos, and other entertainments. Most of the time, this leads
to posting of false information or information that is dangerous to nation or
others, eventually causing internet censorship. Internet censorship is the
suppression of information viewed in the internet. Especially in US, it makes a
conflict due to freedom of speech, 1st amendment of the constitution. Some of
the countries where the internet is most controlled and censored are: North
Korea with all websites controlled by the government, Cuba with activity
online is being monitored, and China with the most rigid censorship program
in the world. Some people support censorship due to reasons,such as, that it
prevents children from being exposed to offensive materials like pornography,
and intense crime in TV or film is restricted. People opposing censorship
argues that it intrudes freedom of the press, and it is also violation of freedom
of speech. For these reasons debate continues over the right answer to the
internet censorship and deserves serious consideration through the review of
these three questions:
1. What is the current situation of internet censorship?
2. What positive and negative effect does internet censorship have to
the people?
3. Is there any solution that can narrow the conflict between supporting
side and opposing side of internet censorship?

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This questions narrow the purpose of the literary review by helping people to
know the current situation of the issue better, by looking at both sides of
argumentation on internet censorship, and by finding solution to the conflict
relating to the issue.

What is the current situation of the internet censorship?

Most of the people in the world are using the internet today, even only
North America's 15% of total population are being connected to the internet.
Despite this huge connectivity, many governments of the nations censor what
is posted or can been seen on the internet. According to Brandon Gaille, a top
business blogger in America , while even the United States are being censored
through ongoing monitoring on the internet, other countries like China, North
Korea, and nations is the middle east are being restricted by strong
censorship. For example, Gaille (2015) says "more than 1 in 4 websites that are
normally accessible through Google or other search engines is blocked through
a four level filtering process".
The sensational facts are that 25.3% of people who uses internet
encounters at least one form of censorship and 1.72 billion people are affected
by internet censorship daily. Moreover, 80% of people in the world has access
to the websites are completely uncensored by the government. (Gaille, 2015)
As we see from this fact, internet censorship affects majority of people daily
either positively or negatively.
In order to know the current situation of internet censorship in certain

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country in more details, Seyeon Hwang, who is South Korean and studies
doctoral degree on metallurgy and materials engineering at UTEP, was
interviewed. Seyeon deals with many scholarly papers in the internet related
to his topic. Hence, he said that he has experienced some internet censorship
in both South Korea and the United States. Seyeon was asked many questions
relating to censorship, such as, difficulties while doing his work due to
censorship, current situation of censorship in South Korea or the US, and how
does he think about the difference between censorship in South Korea and
censorship in US etc. He gave passionate responses during the interview,
showing anger to censorship itself. According to Seyeon, the government in
South Korea are very strict about information that is related to the North
Korea. For example, activists from North Korea-sympathetic parties will be
arrested. He also said that most common form of internet censorship in South
Korea is ordering internet service providers to block the IP address of
disfavored websites. Disfavored websites includes websites that contains
pornography or any type of gay and lesbian website. He said this is because
people in South Korea are very conservative to sex related issues. People in
South Korea also are required to verify citizen identify number in order to
enter or sign in the website and post anything. According to Seyeon, this is
because many Ids or passwords could be hacked or stolen by someone else
without verifying citizen identify number. Some websites provide special
numbers to people to use it on the website in order to strengthen the security.
(personal communication, October 3, 2015)

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figure 1. World Map of Internet Censorship

The map above shows countries that have strict internet censorship. As
shown above, countries like China, North Korea, Thailand, Myanmar, Syria,
Iran, and Tunisia has pervasive level of filtering, very sensitive with certain
issues: politics, human rights, freedom expression, minority rights, and
religious freedom.
For example, in China, unfavorable news occur daily in vast landscapes,
still the Communist Party is able to control over media. (Tai, 2014) According
to Tai, China Communist Party (CCP) has the propaganda of regulation and
kept changing over the years. The CCP tends to ban news that directly
threatens the legitimacy of the regime, and ban unfavorable reports in online.
Local leaders who seek promotions tends to have incentive to hide negative

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news. These characteristics create strong but fragmented system of media

censorship in contemporary China. (Tai, 2014)

What are the positive and negative effects does internet censorship
have to the people?
The internet censorship issue usually has more people who opposes to
it than people who support the issue. The internet censorship both has positive
and negative effects on the people.
On the opposing side of the issue, majority of people argues that the
internet censorship is against the freedom of speech and freedom of press.
According to the news article "Stop the Great Firewall of America" from New
York Times, the censorship is especially the sensitive issue in US due to the
first amendment, freedom of speech. The article also emphasizes the potential
abuse of power through digital networks by the government. (Mackinnon,
2011) Internet Censorship: The Worst Offenders, journal from the website
"betanews" argues that internet censorship clearly violates not only the safety
of people, but also the freedom of its citizens ensured. The journal tries to
indicate that internet censorship should clearly become illegal by showing
situations in the internet censored countries, such as, China, Tibetan, Taiwan,
North Korea, and Saudi Arabia (Ballard, 2015).
In the journal "The Uses and Abuses of Censorship: God, Ireland and
the Battle of Extend Censorship Post 1929," it is described that The passage of
the 1929 Censorship of Publication Act limited sex, contraception and

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abortion. It also excluded attacks on the catholic faith and the denial of God.
Many, instead of giving up on limited actions, lobbied for the extension of
censorship. This journal focuses on the case of the past as an example of
censorship, not internet or media censorship. However, looking at how the
censorship does not limit people actions, but actually make people to use
expediency or become corrupted, the author argues that censorship should be
banned. (Keating, 2014).
As we look at the argumentation from some sources, many are
passionately opposing the issue of internet censorship.
On the other hand, some argue that internet censorship does have
positive effects on people. They argue for three things: protecting children,
decrease in illegal activities, and less instances of identity theft.
Most importantly many argue that internet censorship protects their
children. Having internet access, children nowadays easily access pornography
or other imagery that is for adults. People argue that children always have high
level of curiosity and need to be forbidden to see those images. In addition,
people support internet censorship for decrease in illegal activities. Until now,
law enforcement always did not have enough power or hours to fight against
all illegal activities on the internet. Many movies, music, and other
entertainments are being downloaded and streamed every day. People argue
that the nation should step to censor the internet in order to stop citizens
attempting to break the law through the internet. Finally, they propose
internet censorship for less instances of identity theft. Since 21st century,

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people were afforded high anonymity online. Some people take advantage of
this fact in order to steal other's identity when the target person is using the
internet. Many argue that internet censorship is able to make those hackers
much more difficult to steal other identities. ("Internet Censorship pros,"
2015)

Is there any solution that can narrow the conflict between

supporting side and opposing side of internet censorship?
The fact is that there is no cut solution with the issue of internet
censorship. The alleviating in either side cannot exist; internet censorship is
just right or wrong. Even though majority opposes the internet censorship,
arguing for right to privacy, 1st amendment, end of war caused by censorship,
no communism, and no dictator ship, all nation in the world will have at least
some internet censorship for protecting children and protecting the nation's
important information.
Conclusion
In conclusion, This literary review has analyzed many data and has
answered many questions regarding the situation of the internet censorship,
its viewpoints, and its solutions. Currently, most people in the world have
countered the internet censorship while using the internet. The countries with
most pervasive internet censorship are China, North Korea, Iran, and Syria
etc. Many people argue that internet censorship should be banned for right to
privacy and 1st amendment etc. Others argue that internet censorship is

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helpful for protecting their children and fir other reasons. There is no specific
solutions yet unless the government find a way to narrow the conflict between
supporting side and opposing side of internet censorship.
In the 21st century, the internet has become the most convenient,
friend-like, and complex thing in our world. people use internet to do anything
and everything that they cannot live without the internet anymore. However,
disregarding the issue of internet censorship is right or wrong, people should
know and be educated how to use internet properly in order to protect their
children, rights, freedom, and others.

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References

Ballard. Barclay (2015, January). Internet Censorship: The worst Offenders.

betanews. Retrieved from
http://betanews.com/2015/01/28/internet-censorship-the-worstoffenders/

Eo, Jae Seok. (2015, Oct). Personal interview

Gaille. Brandon. (2015, February 7). 32 Amazing Internet Censorship

Statistics. Brandon Gaille. Retrieved from
http://brandongaille.com/32-amazing-internet-censorship-statistics/

Internet Censorship Pros and Cons List. (2015, April 6). Retrieved from
http://occupytheory.org/internet-censorship-pros-and-cons-list/

Keating, A. (2014). The Uses and Abuses of Censorship: God, Ireland and the
Battle of Extend Censorship Post 1929. Estudios Irlandeses, (9), 67-79.

Mackinnon, R. (2011). Stop the Great Firewall of America. The New York
Times. Retrieved

from

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-could-

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infringe-on- free-speech.html?_r=0

Tai, Q. (2014). China's Media Censorship: A Dynamic and Diversified Regime.

Journal of

East Asian Studies, 14 (2), 185-209.