Internet Censorship

Internet Censorship

“And why could you not turn in your assignment, Michael?” inquired Mrs. Anderson after asking her 7th grade students to turn in their reports on the impact of HIV and AIDs. “I tried Mrs. Anderson,” replied Michael “but the computers at home and in the libraries wouldn’t let me find the information. All the sites I visited were blocked. I’m sorry Mrs. Anderson. I just couldn’t complete my report (Meeder 56).”Although students have the right to decide for themselves what is and is not inappropriate censoring material pertaining to subjects would be unfair to students whom needed it.

First, there is a lot of information on the Internet that the government may consider distasteful, and much of that information can be accessed. Due to this fact, they have censored information that is well needed for children’s education. “In a study in the late 2002, it was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation.” They stated that вЂ?in many instances federally mandated filtering software is denying students access to information on health topics as diabetes, depression, and sexually transmitted diseases and suicide” (Ruside). The study showed that young people maybe reluctant to go to an adult for this kind of information because they are scared.

Although you think that when you are blocking sites on the Internet, you are protecting children, but you are not you are harming them. Why can’t we just trust our children to know the difference between right and wrong? Someone stated boys and girls are deprived of information they need by over zealous protectors who refuse to recognize their intelligence, competence and actual need (Grossberg). Rebecca Meeder the author of Access Denied: Internet filtering software in K-12 classrooms see it as “Such sites may include information on sexuality transmitted diseases or web pages that teach children about the dangers of illegal drug use. “Because many of these sites contain key words like “sex” or “drugs” they are filtered because it might contain pornographic images” (Meeder). If everyone is saying that this is vital information for students and it is important for them to know, why block it from their viewing?

Secondly, there are famous people who were against censorship and laws that were against censorship also. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was stated to be “strongly against censorship of any kind believing that [students] should have free access to all information and make an informed decision” (Greenhaven). Also, the first amendment of the Constitution also states “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech and of the press….”All material or information on the Internet would be protected by this clause” (Freedom Forum). Congress passed another law called the Freedom of Information Act, in November 21, 1966. The law addressed more specifically the peoples’ right to any information unless it is matter of national security, violates a person’s right to privacy, or deals with internal agency management (Freedom).

Lastly, Alvin Schrader author of Internet censorship: issues for teacher-librarians