Political Issues: Censorship and the Internet

Summary

In general, freedom of speech is considered an integral United States value, as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
This freedom has caused controversy at times. For instance, it is legal to express certain forms of hate speech so long as one does not engage in the acts being described or urge others to commit illegal acts.
According to the Reporters Without Borders 2009 Press Freedom Index, the United States is currently in a tie (with Luxembourg and the United Kingdom) for 20th in the world in terms of press freedom.[1] Certain forms of speech, such as obscenity and defamation, are restricted in major media outlets by the government or by the industry on its own. Internet censorship in the United States is the suppression of information published or viewed on the Internet in the United States. Personal Internet access in the US is not subject to technical censorship but can be penalized by law for violating the rights of others. Programs such as content-control software are sometimes used within institutions such as businesses, libraries, schools, and government offices.[1] Though most online expression is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, laws such as those concerning libel, intellectual property, and pornography still determine how and if certain content can be published online.

Student Contributed Research Projects and Learning Agreements

Anti Censorship and the Internet - Students

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Pro Censorship and the Internet - Students

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Non Partisan Censorship and the Internet Issues - Students

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External Links to Anti Censorship and the Internet

Anti Censorship and the Internet - Free Speech Coalition Fighting government censorship of adult materials through lobbying, education, and litigation.
Anti Censorship and the Internet - Free Speech Coalition Fighting government censorship of adult materials through lobbying, education, and litigation.

External Links to Pro Censorship and the Internet

Pro Censorship and the Internet - Internet Freedom Provides both analysis and comment to events that affect free speech and censorship on the web.

Pro Censorship and the Internet - Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties UK Discusses issues like U.K. Internet law, child pornography, privacy, interception of communications, and more.
Pro Censorship Internet Censorship - From EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center).

External Links to Non Partisan Censorship and the Internet

Non Partisan Censorship and the Internet - Internet Watch Foundation Self regulation body for removing illegal material from the Net and rating and filtering legal material.


Non Partisan Censorship and the Internet - The Net Censorship Dilemma: Liberty or Tyranny Information concerning attempts around the world to censor what we can say and see on the Internet, with primary focus on the Australian situation.

Non Partisan Censorship and the Internet - Chilling Effects Clearinghouse Background material and explanations of the law for people who have received Cease and Desist notices regarding fan fiction, copyright, domain names and trademarks, anonymous speech, and defamation on their web sites.

Non Partisan Censorship and the Internet - Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties UK Discusses issues like U.K. Internet law, child pornography, privacy, interception of communications, and more.

References

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_the_United_States -
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_United_S... -