Assignment #2 - Freedom of Speech...For Now

3) So far the internet has allowed anyone that had something to day, the ability to say it and for anyone to hear what they had to say. Even we are able to say whatever we want in our blogs and let our voices be heard. The Internet has been an open market for opinions to be heard on anything from the latest pictures of Britney in an ambulance to the hottest book on the bestseller's list. The internet is a great tool to help people start home businesses or look for their treasured childhood lunch box on eBay. But will it always be this way?

Some day can the companies that run the internet monolopies actually censor what we can see and post? It may be a possibility. In China their government already filtering their internet and watches it carefully. According to CBS News, Internet sites on democracy, Tibet and Taiwan were among Web destinations most frequently blocked by the Chinese government. Other sites that were also blocked included those on health, education, news, entertainment, religion and pornography.

If this is already happening in China whats to stop it from happening to us? It may be happening today but in its early stages. "After September 11, the government has the access to increased email monitoring, retention of Web logs and communications data. A wide variety of methods are used to restrict and/or regulate Internet access. These include: applying laws and licenses, content filtering, tapping and surveillance, pricing and taxation policies, telecommunication markets manipulation, hardware and software manipulation and self censorship" (Source). This sounds scary to think about but it may be an issue that is so far off in the future that it will have no impact on us.

Even though we might have that whole freedom of speech thing behind us, there is probably a good possibility that someday in the not to distant future the government and the huge cable company tycoons will probably be limiting what we say and see on the internet. It is sad to think but its bound to happen, I'm sure the government will say its for our own safety or scare us into thinking it is what is best for us, and what can we do about it? Nothing, hang our heads and just accept it. Well while its all still uncensored I'm talking full advantage of it while we have it, and I would urge you to do the same.