Abstract This paper aims to prove that the U.S. government should not regulate the Internet. It shows how the government has used a number of reasons to support its quest for regulation, such as protecting children, yet it has ignored the fact that there are other methods to control harmful and illegal material online without hindering the Internet's growth and capabilities. It examines how the Internet is currently a major example of the First Amendment: freedom of speech and how on the Internet, people can say whatever they want without consequence. It attempts to assess how it would be impossible for any single government or nation to completely regulate the internet, because by nature, the Internet is resistant to control and regulation.
From the Paper "The government claims that the Internet should be regulated because pornographic and hate sites need to be controlled. However, these sites are only a very small part of the Internet. In addition, there are already existing laws throughout the world that regulate these sites, enabling authorities to track, investigate, arrest and convict parties engaging in illegal Internet activities, including credit fraud, hacking, pedophilia and more (117).
Government regulation, such as blocking Web sites from harmful or illegal content is a drastic and unnecessary measure that does solve the problems presented by the Internet. Even if the regulation were successful, it would be impossible to solve the problem of sites outside the U.S. The government still continue to argues that this regulation is necessary, particularly to protect the children."
Abstract This paper catalogues the pros and cons of the Internet. It first considers the myriad ways in which the Internet has benefited us, or has irredeemably changed the way we do things. It then goes on to consider the harmful consequences. Having done so, the paper makes the proposition that the Internet is an overall force of good. The paper does this by showing how the Internet becomes the embodiment of freedom of speech, which is the cornerstone of democracy and the Western way of life.
From the Paper "Of course, as with every technology, there are attendant evils. Along with authentic and reliable information, there is a flood of vindictive and motivated propaganda. Just as scholars are able to meet on the net to advance knowledge, so do terrorists come together with their evil designs. Healthy entertainment is overwhelmed by the perverse form of it. In a recent study (Flichy 2007) it has been estimated that a quarter of all the websites are pornographic. The revered institution of copyright is being ravaged more and more everyday, where copyrighted material is being made freely available by unscrupulous parties, to the detriment of artists and inventors everywhere. The music industry is losing everyday its battle against the Internet piracy of music. Hackers also pose another looming menace. Not everything fed into the Internet is meant to be available to everyone. "
Abstract The computer age has produced renewed debate pertaining to questions of freedom and speech, as opposed to censorship. This discussion ventures to explain how the advent of the so-called Information Age does not really alter the dynamics of a longstanding question, or rather a set of questions, that have been basic to political theory among other of the social sciences. Two articles selected from The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, on radically different topics, help to reveal certain approaches to all questions of communications, the media, and the 'post-modern' age, within academic research. These materials are examined en route to sections that focus directly on issues of the internet and freedom of expression.
Abstract The paper discusses the positive and negative impacts of the Internet of the future. The paper examines the fearless forecasts and predictions, but shows how the Internet is truly here to stay and it is up to individuals and groups to decide how they will utilize this technology. The paper discusses how some sectors say that the Internet is "truly one of the most democratic and free environs there is" and so maintains that it is everyone's responsibility to uphold the freedom and availability this technology has to offer.
From the Paper "Just by having a personal computer (PC) or laptop and connecting to DSL lines, cable TV or satellite enables one to access the Internet. With the dramatic increased in bandwidth of late, "increased speed has ignited an explosion of electronic commerce, video on demand, telecommuting, collaborative scientific projects, videoconferencing and virtual environments. Many of these services are already in use in some form. (Lerner, 2004)" Indeed the onset of the PC at every home and office, and the availability of the Internet have endeavored a paradigm shift in the way we live our lives."
Abstract This paper discusses how, although criminals have been escaping justice on the basis of technicalities for decades, when it comes to sexual predators of children using the Internet, some judges are blazing new trails into the terrain of protecting the criminals and punishing the victims, diminishing the results of police work, as well. It looks at the growing need for anti-pedophilia laws concerning the Internet and the surrounding issues, such as the First Amendment and freedom of speech.
From the Paper "While some judges and lawmakers are worried about protecting the First Amendment rights of pedophiles, so they can continue to lure their intended victims over the Internet, the population seems to desire even stronger anti-pedophilia laws concerning the Internet.
By 2002, 40 million children were assumed to have Internet access. ?The Internet is a dream come true for a pedophile," said Arlington County, (Va.) police Detective Paul J. Reid. ?It takes the playground from the street and puts it into their home where they can cultivate victims in privacy.? (Fagan 1997)"
Abstract This paper discusses the government's attempt to censor pornographic material on the internet which the writer feels would infringe on the freedom of expression. This paper also includes a brief but detailed history of the internet. This paper examines the various bills the U.S. government is trying to pass to prevent misuse of the Net. The writer of this paper also discusses the installation of censoring software as an alternative solution to government censorship.
From the Paper "The Internet can also be compared to a church. In many ways the Internet is like a church: it has its council of elders, every member has an opinion about how things should work, and they can either take part or not. It's the choice of the user. The Internet has no president, chief operating officer, or Pope. The constituent networks may have presidents and CEO's, but that's a different issue; there is no single authority figure for the Internet as a whole."
Abstract This paper examines the problems created by the Internet and portrays the issues involved in attempting to regulate any aspect of the Internet. A brief history of the Internet is provided. The paper describes the Internet as one of the most popular methods of international communication. Reasons are presented as to why the government feels it necessary to regulate the Internet.
From the Paper "The Internet was created by the defense-related ARPANET project, which was a communications tool for the United States government in the late 1960's linking a decentralized system of computers that could resist a nuclear attack (Copeland, et al). Today, this tool, which was once viewed as little more than an emergency fallback system, has grown into one of the most popular methods of international communication."
Abstract This paper answers the question of whether the U.S. government should be allowed to censor material on the Internet, or whether that would be a violation of free speech. The position that Internet material should not be censored is justified using the principle of freedom of speech, and also because of differences that exist between the Internet and other media.
Abstract This paper examines the thesis that the government is playing a wild card in its attempt to censor the Internet. It discusses several laws and examines how public libraries who do not censor the Internet can suffer funding losses.
From the Paper "In Antigone, Sophocles wrote, "There is nothing in the world so demoralizing as money." Today's society revolves around money. Without money, no person, organization, corporation, or entity can function. It is well known that in the hands of the government, when push comes to shove, money pushes, money shoves, and, more often than not, money prevails. In other words, if the government wants something done, money is the wild card. The issue of Internet censorship is no different. For years, the United States government has pushed to place censors on the Internet. After having censorship legislation stuck down by the Supreme Court, the government turned its attention to censorship of the Internet in public libraries and public schools. In recent months, the issue of censorship of the Internet in public libraries and public schools has reached a boiling point. When closely studied, it is obvious that the government has chosen to pursue censorship within libraries and public schools because all other censorship avenues have been blocked. Furthermore, it is also obvious that the government is playing their wild card in their attempt to censor, essentially backing libraries into a comer with legislation that denies public libraries and schools significant amounts of governmental funding if Internet censorship guidelines are not followed. Because the issue of Internet censorship centers on the First Amendment, it is important to understand exactly what the freedom of speech guarantees United States citizens. Since its inception, the First Amendment's guarantee of the freedom of speech has plagued all forms of."
Abstract The paper claims that censorship on the Internet represents one of the greatest threats to the integrity and usefulness of the Internet as a medium for the exchange of information. The paper argues against totalitarian and repressive regimes controlling their citizenry by means of censorship. It further argues against those that wish to foist their own morals on others by limiting the access individuals have to pornographic material. The paper asserts that censorship is a practice that is exacted by the powerful upon the weak to forward some agenda. The paper contends that as a practice, censorship should be eliminated on the Internet or, at the very least, reduced at every opportunity.
From the Paper "The growing ubiquity of the Internet means that new issues, once confined to the "real" world, have spilled over into cyberspace. Censorship in particular has been a significant concern ever since the Internet grew into a popular medium of communication. Now, unfortunately, censorship is no longer a concern; instead, it is a reality on the Internet and one that seems to be ever-increasing. Censorship on the Internet represents one of the greatest threats to the integrity and usefulness of the Internet as a medium for the exchange of information."
Abstract This paper reveals that far from the utopian vision of a massive sharing of intellectual insights, the Internet has become balkanized and fragmented, which has led to a marked reduction in collaboration on research and discoveries. The paper also explains that the rise in the corporate use of the Internet has driven up the need to validate someone within any online community, leading to the decrease of trust. The paper discusses the novel "1984" by George Orwell that defines a totalitarian state, dominated by excessive monitoring and control of its citizens. The paper applies this to today's pervasive use of monitoring technologies.
Outline:
Introduction
The Internet's Balkanization and the Quantification of Trust
Quantification of trust
Orwellian Monitoring Strategies in the 21st Century
Conclusion
From the Paper "As the most ubiquitous, debated and increasingly relied on communication medium ever, the Internet has significantly influenced and impacted the lives of literally millions of people globally. The value judgment of whether the Internet has unified versus fragmented or balkanized communities is a subject of far-ranging debate. The one truth beginning to emerge however that is the Internet has increasingly become a medium that invites the creation of one's own unique voice and perspective being instantly available to millions of others. The meteoric rise of blogs, and with them, the influence of all forms of Consumer Generated Media (CGM) is evidence of how individuals are seeking out their own unique identity online. It is debatable however if these many forms of free speech are leading to more fluid movement of intellectual discoveries, insights and documents."
Abstract This paper examines people's behaviour regarding security and privacy issues on the internet and how portal/e-business companies can increase their security and therefore regain customers trust. People are very concerned about their security and privacy on the internet. However the greatest concern is with financial transactions. So while many people are prepared to use the internet for certain purposes, there are still a great number of users who are concerned about security issues.
Contents:
Internet Portals
History
Features of Major Portals
Privacy and Law
Privacy Concerns
Privacy Bill
Privacy and the Internet Privacy Policies
Cookies
Use of Cookies
Cookie Awareness
Internet Security
Viruses
Encryptions
PGP
Digital Signatures
SSL
Set Protocol
Firewall
Security Concerns
Methodolgies
Questionnaire
Survey Results
Recommendations for Portal and E-Business Comapnies
Recommendations for Internet Users
Glossary of Terms
Bibliography
From the Paper "According to World Internet Link (2001) ?Internet Portals are among the hottest Internet trends of the day.? Client Help Desk (2002) describes an Internet portal as ?a Web site which offers a great amount of content and services, either on many subjects or on a specific subject.? Major Internet portals, a further development of search-engines, include AltaVista, Excite, Lycos and Yahoo. Problems arise because of privacy concerns as some users don?t want to provide personal information and credit card details to an Internet portal and/or e-commerce company. The personalisation of Internet portals is possible via a cookie. Originally designed for consumer convenience, the cookie is an important tool to personalise and customise an Internet portal. Initially, portals offered only search tools but are now more personalised, enabling users to customise them by initiating their own start-up page containing their individual content, layout and colour. Furthermore portals started selling products too."
Abstract The writer of this paper contends that the reason the internet is such a big part of globalization is due to the fact that for the first time in history, any individual in any part of the world can communicate in a completely uncensored way over the entire planet. This paper focuses on the combination of nationalism and isolationism within the realm of the internet. This paper examines the advantages of nationalism that began to flourish, thanks in large part to internet technology, as the first world nations and the rest of the industrialized world separated itself from the less capable or developed nations. This paper analyzes the numerous aspects of the internet which are far different from other mediums as it provides a way to present information in a variety of approaches, each uniquely different and targeted to a specific audience. The paper also discusses the downside to the internet and advanced technology, in that it has become a source of isolationism in many third world countries. The writer claims that internet access on a global scale has a definite negative stigma which has been termed the 'digital divide.' This paper examines how the movement of globalization and strong nationalism has isolated third world nations. The writer contends that while nationalism flourishes, attention must be given to the those third world countries that have become more and more isolated due to their inability to bring technology to their citizens.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Internet Nationalism & Globalization
Isolationism
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "The internet is basically a way for organizations, parties and movements to present them selves in the same way as we would look at a magazine, newspaper, radio shows or television presentations. The unique aspects of the Internet that is different from these other mediums because it provides a way to present information in a plethora of ways, each way uniquely different for however the target audiences may be. In the same respect, the Internet can personalize 'homepages,' or web sites to also present a very individual message for different audiences. The Internet, therefore, is a much more public and at the same time personal provider of information. This also entails that a majority of the Internet is completely dominated by individual users such as newsgroups, chats, BBS while other parts are completely commercial business related."
Abstract This paper examines the concept of freedom and looks at five different views of freedom. The paper uses e.e. cummings' poem, "and freedom is a breakfast food", and a poem by Alfred Tennyson as examples of different concepts of freedom and ten discusses the inherent contradictions in the concept of freedom.
From the Paper "The themes of this poem are the fleeting nature of all things in life, including intellectual concepts such as freedom and how all these things are always juxtaposed with their opposite. The poem begins with the title line, "as freedom is a breakfast food", suggesting that freedom is the nourishment that gets people through the day. The rest of the poem compares and contrast things with their elementary parts. For example, truth can live with right and wrong..."
