by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: April 16, 2009   Last Updated: December 12, 2011

The internet is a great asset to the World. It offers something that nothing else can. The ability to communicate with other cultures and to know what is going on all the time. The question is, should the internet be regulated? From the perspective of a United States citizen, let's look at the implications of setting regulations on the internet:

PornographyThis is a major issue with many people. Should porn be allowed to freely float about the internet with little to no regulation on it? There should be limits. Those limits should only be placed on things that are already illegal. Pornography isn't illegal in the United States, but it is regulated to a point. Minors aren't legally allowed to buy it. Porn magazines such as Playboy or Hustler can't be openly displayed in stores. Child pornography is one hundred percent against the law. In this manner, yes, it should be regulated. Other than that all bets are off.

There are many ways in which parents can block these types of sites from their personal computers if they so choose. In fact, it is their job to do just that. It is not the job of the government to be everyone's moral judge and juror. Adults are responsible for their own actions. If they choose to look at naked bodies, it is within their rights to do so. Therefore, the answer would be no, it should not be regulated in that manner.

Gambling

Gambling is another issue that pops up a lot in this discussion. It has been regulated in many ways on the internet for United States users. Many states have bans on gambling and in this instance, I suppose it is the right of the government to place restrictions on the internet on those states. However, it should not be restricted to those residents who live in legal gambling states. It also can baffle the mind to think that states are fine with gambling as long as it is in the form of tickets such as Powerball or Megamillions. It all amounts to the same thing. People waste their money in hopes of hitting it big. Gambling can be addictive and the regulations can be understood, however, whose money is it anyway?

Personal Information

Damaging personal information can be posted on the internet. In fact, it is out there right now. There is no such thing as personal information any longer. Our lives are placed squarely into the homes of anyone that wants to view it. It becomes a problem is someone is posting incorrect information about you though. This could be true in the case for internet harassment or even stalking. Although the people that post such things should be held accountable for their actions, the internet shouldn't be regulated to suit it. That is like saying we no longer have the right to bear arms because someone committed murder. You can't punish the masses because of the wrong doing of the minority of people.

The internet has so many wonderful things to offer. It is like everything else though. There are bad things about it. People are smart enough to know what they want to do and how they want to do it. If it is illegal in real time, it should also be illegal in internet time. People should be held accountable for their actions but the masses should not have to pay for those actions. The internet should not be regulated for anything other than those illegal activities. Beyond that spectrum, the government has no business in our personal use of it.

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