The Case for an Uncensored Internet - Essay Example

Free Speech on the Internet There are different opinions that one might have as far as free speech on the Internet is concerned. Since different people understand free speech differently, there cannot be a set definition of it. Free speech should, however, discuss how people are being deciphered, seen and understood in a number of ways. The people who believe in free speech need to comprehend that others also have a right to exercise this principle and, therefore, free speech must be analyzed across the board.

In practice, this hardly happens. There are times when free speech becomes excessive and issues of magnanimous nature are witnessed every now and then. Therefore, there is a dire need to find out when anomalies can be taken care of and how they could be turned into areas of strength. When it comes to Internet, free speech is given significance on a number of counts. This is because different religions, ethnicities, perspectives and viewpoints are expressed in a language, the medium for exercising free speech.

What this implies is the fact that free speech creates problems for one community and, at the same time, puts at ease the other one. This is equally applicable to different individuals who might just belong to these communities in the first place. Therefore, an important understanding of the free speech discussions will tackle many problems that might arise when a global comprehension is required – one that will unite the people both on the Internet and in real life. The Internet brings the people closer, so exercising free speech in a manner that there is more equality will solve quite a few problems.

This will bring harmony among the people and make them understand how they can be well-knit together. Some of the biggest fights on the Internet take place because people do not like to give each other the room that they require. This essentially means that free speech, if left at the mercy of a fraction of the community, can make the lives of the people difficult, as far as the Internet is concerned. One would be amazed to know the kind of negativity that exists in the Internet. The elders who know more about the consequences of diverting from the path that leads towards equality of all peoples suggest that a person should practice free speech only to such an extent which he/she can accept from another person (Matthews 44).

If he/she cannot listen something against his/her own beliefs, viewpoints and religion, then this person has no right to say anything that might hurt others. This is a classic case of tit for tat; all Internet-users are held accountable for their actions. In the end, it would be fair to fathom here that free speech on the Internet is a very sensitive topic and should be treated as such if harmony and success are to be achieved within the realms of information technologies. There is hope that one might just see a day when free speech will be considered a supreme principle and when all people will respect what is sacred for others.

Works Cited Matthews, Melinda F. “Virtually Obscene: The Case for an Uncensored Internet”. Online Information Review 31.5 (2007): 44. Print.