Internet Self-Censorship Is Wrong In Any Culture
So what can be learned from this historical analogy? One key takeaway for myself is that we must be patient and can’t expect differences to disappear overnight. As long as these differences are as powerful as they are today we must show some level of restraint and invest time in education. It is for that reason that I support Google’s decision to stop making the video accessible in some countries. But because I am optimistic about the long term impact it also means that we must not let events like this result in undue governmental restrictions on the Internet.
If we let the radical fringe elements control the discussion on values, we will lose as a civilization. Because of this, I fundamentally disagree with Albert.
Google taking down the video was purely out of corporate self-interest because of the political heat the video was drawing. In reality, the video had little to do with the violence the resulted in the killing of Americans in Libya and the chaos at the US consulate in Egypt. These were calculated terrorist attacks spurred on by a hatred of everything that America stands for, which first and foremost is reflected in our value of personal freedom.
The nature of the Internet in the spread of ideas is what makes it a powerful platform of communication. We accept the bad because the good it provides overwhelms even the most evil and hateful vitriol. The tools we have developed to communicate across this medium have spurred revolutions that overthrew despots, exposed the worst of corporate and individual misdeeds, and opened up worlds of opportunity to the most impoverished.
Education and restraint will have no effect on changing perceptions where the elements of terror reign and plot. These are countries and populations that fear the disruptive force of new ideas because they undermine their illegitimate grip on power. Through the use of censorship and the manufacturing of controversy, they rile up the ignorant to maintain control in order to distract the people from the woes of poverty and unemployment. Fix the economies, and you will see a lot less animosity and violence.
When we start to accept censorship on any level, we are setting a dangerous precedent. We stop the flow of those disruptive and threatening ideas. The printing press allowed the spread of Protestantism to finally break the stranglehold on power and rampant corruption of the Catholic Church. Learning was advanced throughout Europe. Schools rose and scholarship flourished. In this stew of communication, science and philosophy and arts made huge leaps in progress. Economic conditions improved across the board and the general populace became better educated.
What has censorship given us? It has given the powerful unconditional authority to perform all sorts of unspeakable acts on the innocent. Communism unleashed untold terror across many nations and needlessly shed the blood of tens of millions. Fascist military governments in Central and South America controlled the media to hide their atrocities and silence opposition. African despots have run amok, slaughtering millions in ethnic funds without reprisal because they were able to crush the free flow of information. Even in America, while censorship has not led to widespread killings, we have had our share of commie witchhunts, book burnings, and misguided political correctness efforts to cater to sensitivities.
It is time we understood that there is no need to “apologize” for our values. Our forefathers were right to immortalize our right to free speech in the Constitution. They understood full well the dangers of systemic censorship by ruling powers and the futility of decrees limiting speech in a nation as wide and diverse and multicultural (even in the 1700’s) as America.
Freedom frees humanity from the worst of our proclivities for wanton destruction and evil. Freedom is the foundation for progress and innovation. Freedom is what made America one of the greatest and most productive nations in modern human history. Censorship has no place in government or business or person that waves the flag of freedom, so let’s reject self-censorship and instead press the debate upon those countries and groups that seek to enslave their people through fear and coercion.
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If we let the radical fringe elements control the discussion on values, we will lose as a civilization. Because of this,...
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