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Censorship And Censorship Of The Internet

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Censorship of the Internet is on the rise in highly populated states today. Although the Internet is considered as one of the most significant tools for the public sphere, many users have decried the Internet’s benefits and seen the Internet as a ‘double-edged sword’. Even as the Internet connects most of the world and gives valuable access to information, the same tool allows access to material that may be considered dangerous or harmful. The recent increase in discussion on the act of censorship of the Internet is part of the reaction to institutionalised censorship, particularly governmental censorship, of a public tool. Since censorship describes the suppression of public information in order to hide content that may be considered objectionable or harmful to the audience, as determined by governments or institutions, this particular outcry stems from the idea that what is considered harmful to society is subjective and should not be judged by an institution alone. Censorship can then become detrimental towards society by suppressing the human right to freedom of expression as well as also becoming a tool in the act of limiting the rights of minorities. In contrast, supporters of Internet censorship focus on the protection of inappropriate and harmful information from children and communities. By censoring certain websites that provide content that are obscene or harmful to minors, illicit activities such as kidnappings or cyber-bullying become less common. With

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