Miss
Wang Xiao 2121761 B5/42 Steven Mcgill
Government Internet censorship (in Asia): it is an action of protection or a offender of human rights?
This essay focuses on online information censorship, especially in China, with emphasis on rights and freedoms to access information and make a speech online. According to Warf (2011) durning the last period of 20 century, the control of Internet was privatized by a consortium of telecommunications companies. Durning the same period, the development of Internet technology in Europe promoted the simplification of Internet usage, and it has also leaded to the innovation of the World Wide Web. Soon, thereafter the number of private Internet usager increased rapidly, including Netscape, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. The number of websites grew exponentially, from roughly 1 million in 1990 to more than 4 billion in 2011 (Warf, 2011). However, for some critics, the exceedingly increase of web bowsers and the no restrictions of all websites’ access have brought some negative impacts and have been treated as threats to national security in some countries. This essay aims to investigate the impacts of government Internet censorship on citizens’ basic rights, and explore the efficient method that governments can provide people with a better Internet environment. At first part of this essay will present some basic definition of Internet censorship and the purpose of government Internet censorship. And discuss the Internet censorship in China. On the last part of the essay a method of balance the human rights and nation security will be discussed.
Internet censorship can be defined in different ways. Generally, it means blocking or filtering information that is harmful or sensitive or might bring inconvenient to the majority of people, and usually conducted by government, corporations or other organizations. There are different purposes for internet censorship. According to Goldsmith (1998) the motivations for internet
Government Internet censorship (in Asia): it is an action of protection or a offender of human rights?
This essay focuses on online information censorship, especially in China, with emphasis on rights and freedoms to access information and make a speech online. According to Warf (2011) durning the last period of 20 century, the control of Internet was privatized by a consortium of telecommunications companies. Durning the same period, the development of Internet technology in Europe promoted the simplification of Internet usage, and it has also leaded to the innovation of the World Wide Web. Soon, thereafter the number of private Internet usager increased rapidly, including Netscape, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. The number of websites grew exponentially, from roughly 1 million in 1990 to more than 4 billion in 2011 (Warf, 2011). However, for some critics, the exceedingly increase of web bowsers and the no restrictions of all websites’ access have brought some negative impacts and have been treated as threats to national security in some countries. This essay aims to investigate the impacts of government Internet censorship on citizens’ basic rights, and explore the efficient method that governments can provide people with a better Internet environment. At first part of this essay will present some basic definition of Internet censorship and the purpose of government Internet censorship. And discuss the Internet censorship in China. On the last part of the essay a method of balance the human rights and nation security will be discussed.
Internet censorship can be defined in different ways. Generally, it means blocking or filtering information that is harmful or sensitive or might bring inconvenient to the majority of people, and usually conducted by government, corporations or other organizations. There are different purposes for internet censorship. According to Goldsmith (1998) the motivations for internet
References: Basu, S. (2004). E-government and developing countries: An overview. International Review of Law, Computers and Technology, 18(1), 109–132 Baum, S., Yigitcanlar, T., Mahizhnan, A., & Andiappan. N. (2008). E-government in the knowledge society. In T. Yigitcanlar, K. Velibeyogluand, and S.Baum (Eds.). Creative urban regions: Harnessing urban technologies to support knowledge city initiatives. (132–147). Hershey: IGI Global Deibert R. and Villeneuve, N.(2005). Firewalls and Power: An overview of Global State Censorship of the Internet. In Human Rights in the Digital Age. Eds. Mathias Klang and Andrew Murray. London: GlassHouse. Abridged by A. Williams “Top 10: Please Show Your ID,” China Daily, December 10, 2010, http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-07/10/content_11684998.htm. Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, chapter5 “The Internet in China,” June 8, 2010, http://www.gov.cn/english/2010-06/08/content_1622956.htm. International Telecommunications Unions (ITU), Geneva, 27 February 2013 Yildiz, M. (2007). E-government research: Reviewing the literature, limitations and ways forward. Government Information Quarterly, 24(3), 646–665. 1356