Freedom

by Diane Stacey

Created on: September 02, 2007

While there is a lot of controversy over the material published on the worldwide web, it is important to remember that the internet belongs to an international community. As we move around the globe, we can find many different cultures who define what is appropriate within the terms of their own values and morale code. Laws, philosophy and religion can differ depending on where you live and what experiences you've had.

There are several key arguments that lead to the discussion on internet freedom. When we discuss the content on the worldwide web, we have to remember that our choices and decisions have a global impact. No one person, or country for that matter, owns the rights to dictate what information we can find while surfing the web. Our choices also have a local and regional influence, so it is important to consider methods for providing for the overall requirements of users while providing some level of monitoring and safety.

The first issue seems to be centered on the audience using the internet. Times have changed in many places and our schools provide students with cutting edge technology. Children use computers in the same manner that we used to use the library, or paper and pen. As kids identify with the internet as a wealth of knowledge and a resource for researching any subject, they are potential victims to predators able to access them in website chat rooms. There is a very real issue about protecting our children from exposure to material that is not appropriate for their age or maturity level.

An immediate solution to this issue might be to focus on opportunities to reduce the risk of harm and limit access to websites containing certain material. Legislation hasn't caught up with internet crimes in all areas of the law so it can be a preferred tool for unethical people. Parents and teachers have to take some level of responsibility in securing their technology with filters and monitoring of what their children access. Computer technology maintains a record of every site visited, so in addition to tools of prevention, we should also verify sites of interest to watch where our kids have been.

The internet should be treated like a library, where there is an adult in charge of monitoring the use of all materials. We have to provide checks and balances to ensure the protection of our youth. Both places have material that could be inappropriate for children. The librarian monitors behavior and guides people toward information in an appropriate way. Computers should never be placed in a child's bedroom but should be used in a common area where someone can keep an eye on where they are going and who they might be talking to. We need to be vigilant to ensure that this tool is being used appropriately.

The next issue surrounds pornography. It always amazes me to hear someone talk about catching their spouse looking at porn on the web. The conversation usually ends in a similar manner. There is an ultimatum and the spouse agrees to stop the behavior. Pornography is available in many places and in many ways. It can be found in little shops or via hotel movie services. It can even possibly be used by neighbors, friends or family. It is nave to think that you can demand people change to suit your needs or beliefs. It seems that some may believe that catching their spouse using pornography is a negative reflection on them. Some even believe this material leads to violent crimes, like rape or even leads to extramarital affairs. People might think there is something wrong when their mate has to go outside of the relationship to fulfill their needs. To this extent, I can honestly tell you that if you are with someone who chooses to participate in pornography that it has nothing to do with you. With all the promises in the world, you can't control the behavior or actions of someone else. I've known many people who thought they had a solid relationship and secure marriage, only to find that there were secrets which later rocked their foundation. We have to be careful if we are in a relationship with someone who is using the internet for this purpose that we monitor the behavior of the internet after they've visited these sites. It can create a dangerous environment to use the internet behind someone accessing porn. It is amazing to see the pop-up boxes which result from unsolicited searching.

Language is another area of controversy. Our society has become so embittered by comments which seem to demean a particular group of people or are inappropriate in nature. Whether it is racial, sexual, religious or discriminatory in some other way, we have to provide a safe environment for internet use. When people feel insulted by remarks on-line, they may want to punish the speaker and banish the vehicle which allowed the event to occur. The internet can bred hatred and discrimination, leading to the desire to control the content of thought and speech.

There are heated debates about how far we can allow freedom of speech in a shared community. At this point, we should ask individuals to use discretionary and respect the different values and needs for the technical tool. We have to understand that just because information exists on the internet doesn't mean it is based on truth or represents the common opinion. Some individuals enjoy inciting incidents of a destructive nature and we should not allow them to destroy the benefits that the internet can provide. If we take responsibility for protecting our youth and monitor how the computers in our office and homes are used, we can improve the overall value of the worldwide web.

Learn more about this author, Diane Stacey.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.