Internet Censorship Hazards & Benefits Summer Bridge, 2013, Appalachian State University Dylan Sabia & Drake Stillman sabiadj@email.appstate.edu stillmanpd@email.appstate.edu

Overview What is censorship? What are the benefits? What are the hazards? What are the effects on a global and institutional level?

What is Censorship? Censor (V) - To ban or cut portions of (film, letter, book, etc) Censorship is the application of censoring a document that may be deemed “insecure” by a censor source

Benefits Moralistic Reasons Protecting people from content they are better off not seeing Protection of Copyrights and Intellectual Property Design, research theft Theft of movies, games, etc. Protect Reputations Individuals speaking for their companies, damaging images Prevent harmful leaks

Hazards Can become a form of oppression China Shi Tao Limits the amount of information available to the public.

World/National Application SOPA/PIPA Bill introduced late 2011 Cut off The Pirate Bay and similar “untouchable” sites Killed by public outcry Enemies of the Internet China Iran Egypt

An Example of Internet Censorship

Application at Institutional Level Benefits Protection of intellectual property Work completed using the institution’s facilities Security Sensitive information Hazards Limiting amount of information available to students and teachers Research

Conclusion Censorship protects Censorship limits Intellectual properties Reputations Censorship limits Free speech Publicly accessible information

Acknowledgements Dr. Alexander D. Schwab Dr. Jennifer Burris Mr. David Sitar Dr. Rahman Tashakkori Mr. Nathan Weigel Dr. Katrina Palmer Appalachian State University Academy of Science Summer Bridge Program National Science Foundation

References http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Censor?s=t http://appencore.wncln.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb4554955 Newton Lee, Facebook Nation, New York: Springer, 2013. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s968 http://www.oyez.org/cases/1990-1999/1996/1996_96_511/ http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/112%20HR%203261.pdf