(http://www.norcimo.com/blog/archives/upload/2008/12/2008-12-07-dear-internet-censors.png)
While the goal of internet censorship in schools is separate the “good” from the “bad,” the filtering programs are often too restrictive and can actually stop students from accessing information for research projects and school assignments. Schools tend to want to restrict websites that are not going to contribute to school learning: social networking sites, child pornography, sexually explicit sites, etc. But this is what typically happens:
“Auto-censorship against sexual words in matter for children, set to block the word “cunt”, has been known to block the Lincolnshire placename Scunthorpe. Likewise, a block against the word “penis” may block the Yorkshire placename Penistone; and at least one big web forum, set to block “twat”, automatically changes “wristwatch” into “wris****ch”, and refuses the name “Dick” even when it clearly means a man’s name. Another example is blocking “specialist” because it contains the drug name “cialis”” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship)
Unfortunately there hasn’t been a system that is adequate enough at deciphering between what is a “good search” and what is a “bad search”. And, if such a system were to exist it would probably be too expensive for schools to afford because of lack of government funding.
This description doesn’t even get into the cases of 9/11 alternative theory websites or alternative news sources that are being blocked in schools. How are they deemed inappropriate? What is the key word that allows these websites to be banned?
It’s not just schools that are being censored. In the United States, any libraries that receive federal funding are required to have internet filters on. Libraries are suppose to be PUBLIC institution. They should not be censored by the government.
Take it a step further. Countries such as Australia, China, and Israel all have national censorship on the internet. The government is literally controlling what its citizens can and cannot view all in the name of “inappropriate material.” Who determines inappropriate material? Some government official acting in the name of public good who is actually removed from the needs of the public locked away in his government tower? Is this who we want determining what we can and can not see?
Perhaps schools, school boards, and governments should put more emphasis on educating its citizens to critically analyze information that they are exposed to. Wouldn’t it be a great society if people could insightfully interpret the information that is provided to them rather than just believing everything the government feeds them. Think about the world change that would occur.
March 29, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I believe that it is important for students to see “the real world”, in order to apprectiate what we have a little more. For example, realizing the importance of voting to have your voice heard, whereas some countries that is simply not allowed.
March 30, 2009 at 2:41 am
Ashley you bring up a very great point. I think the internet has been a great tool for spreading the use of information easily throughout the world. Unfortunatley it is the case that with all the good material that is put up, there is also the bad stuff that can be found. If anything we should continue the great span of access to material while restricting what is deemed as inappropriate.
March 30, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I’m going to go right ahead and agree with everything that’s been said here. By hiding things from children, we are teaching them that they can avoid certain truths in the education system. Also, I find that if we don’t educate students about, for example, abortion, at an early age, then they are more likely to learn what it is and make an opinion based on their own morals, as opposed to the ones imposed by their parents or peers.
Although this may be more in the realm of politically correctness, I think that certain cultural norms and traditions should be respected, even if they portray myths. What I mean here is that Santa Claus, for example, should not be told by revealed as falsehood by teachers. It is a myth that is in our culture to play up with children, and there is a movement in the far-left to be honest even to the point of not “lying” to their children about Santa Claus. I probably got off topic there, but that is a tradition that is up to the children’s parents, and not their teachers, to decide whether or not they will prescribe to it.
April 1, 2009 at 5:38 am
A classmate of mine who is a visiting student from China told us that in China the only thing that is censored on the internet is ‘Tiannammen Square’(spelling, sorry!).