Computers & Censorship David Ghiurco

History / Background Ancient times China: “regulation moral and political life of the populous” Greece: “Good governance includes shaping character of the people Famous Example: Socrates sentenced to drink poison Promoting unorthodox ideas & deities to youth Modern times Censorship most prominent in digital media China:, North Korea: Google blocked Free flow information SEVERELY halted by non-Western regimes

Types of Censorship Moral Military Political Religious Corporate E.g. obscene content: pornography, etc. Military Keeping military intelligence away from enemies E.g. counter espionage Political Holding back key information from citizens Religious Dominant religion enforcing limitations on non-believers Corporate Intervention to keep incriminating information from the public

ALL of these are exacerbated by the Computer Age

Problems for Society Restriction of free flow of information Uneducated / uninformed populous Ignorance to key ideas / events Mass manipulation Immoral Incentives Entities can commit corrupt acts and cover them up

Personal Opinion on Solution “Internet Free Speech” No centralized entity making censorship decisions Community-based consensus Focus on users rather than providers of information Community-led decisions on removal / censorship of content First Amendment for Digital Age

Changes in the future? World-wide acceptance of Internet Pressures strict censorship countries Western-led model of Free Speech & Free Web

Resources Cited “The Long History of Censorship” http://www.beaconforfreedom.org/liste.html?tid=415&art_id=475 “What is Censorship?” https://www.aclu.org/what-censorship “Internet Censorship” http://www.amnestyusa.org/our- work/issues/censorship-and-free-speech/internet-censorship