Videogame Censorship
Frank
AP English IV – 2nd period
27 January 2008
Video Game Censorship
From the blurred images on TV to the beeped out words on the radio, censorship can be seen everywhere. It can be defined as the act or practice of suppressing material deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds. Censorship has been around for decades and has been done by various groups, such as the government, religious groups, corporations, or the mass media. Censorship is also seen in every country and each of them may have its own guidelines in regards to censorship. There are multiple reasons for censoring, such as to prevent state or government secrets from being leaked, to prevent falsification of scientific research, and many others. While many believe that censorship is necessary for the good of the people, other feel that censorship is wrong and that it restricts people’s freedom of speech and expression. Everything that undergoes a form of censorship falls into a certain category of censorship. There are multiple types of censorship, each belonging to a different category: moral censorship, military censorship, political censorship, religious censorship, and corporate censorship. Moral censorship is censorship in regards to the questioning of morality. Thousands of things fall under moral censorship such as questionable works of art, pornography, graphic violence, drug use, explicit language, and others. Moral censorship is one of the most common types of censorship (and one of the most debatable) seen in the world today. Another type of censorship is military censorship, which is censoring in order to keep military intelligence and tactics confidential, and out of enemy hands. An example of military censorship would be preventing the press from releasing certain types of media coverage to the public. This type of censorship is considered acceptable by the majority of the people because it involves the security of the nation. Without military
AP English IV – 2nd period
27 January 2008
Video Game Censorship
From the blurred images on TV to the beeped out words on the radio, censorship can be seen everywhere. It can be defined as the act or practice of suppressing material deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds. Censorship has been around for decades and has been done by various groups, such as the government, religious groups, corporations, or the mass media. Censorship is also seen in every country and each of them may have its own guidelines in regards to censorship. There are multiple reasons for censoring, such as to prevent state or government secrets from being leaked, to prevent falsification of scientific research, and many others. While many believe that censorship is necessary for the good of the people, other feel that censorship is wrong and that it restricts people’s freedom of speech and expression. Everything that undergoes a form of censorship falls into a certain category of censorship. There are multiple types of censorship, each belonging to a different category: moral censorship, military censorship, political censorship, religious censorship, and corporate censorship. Moral censorship is censorship in regards to the questioning of morality. Thousands of things fall under moral censorship such as questionable works of art, pornography, graphic violence, drug use, explicit language, and others. Moral censorship is one of the most common types of censorship (and one of the most debatable) seen in the world today. Another type of censorship is military censorship, which is censoring in order to keep military intelligence and tactics confidential, and out of enemy hands. An example of military censorship would be preventing the press from releasing certain types of media coverage to the public. This type of censorship is considered acceptable by the majority of the people because it involves the security of the nation. Without military
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