NationStates Jolt Archive

Please read before posting
Standard rules apply for this thread, for those of you who have not before read one of my "My Thoughts On" threads I'll explain quickly. Basically this is just my opinion, it may or may not be based upon solid facts. You ful may comment on my post or the posts of others, but only if it is done so in a respect mannor. If something upsets you, do not reply immediatly, instead take a break and then respond to avoid saying anything in the heat of the moment. Please avoid petty name calling and personal attacks. Finally, I will make spelling and grammatical errors as a result of never reveiwing my work, I am sorry if this will annoy you.

On the topic of censorship in general I believe it is a nessacary evil. For instance in traditional mediums (ie print media, TV, etc) certain images or ideals obviously may need to be monitered.

For instance you really can't have someone erected a massive billboard of kiddy-porn opposite a school.

However, the net is a different story. There is no real ownership and largerly no tangable element. Therefore it really cannot fall under the juristiction of a government.

Also, the internet can be easily monitered by parents through the use of netnanny technology and remaining vigilant.

Besides the potential for self-censorship, the internet is the only current totally free speech zone to excist. The potential for the free exchange of ideals and information is huge and will become more and more vital for democracy in the years to come (ie it's growing use by grassroot political organizations).

Though I may take a simplistic veiw in the issue, I really just think allowing any censorship online is opening a massive can of worms.

You may comment on my post or the posts of others, but only if it is done in a respectful manner. If something upsets you, do not reply immediatley. Instead, take a break and then respond to avoid saying anything in the heat of the moment. Please avoid petty name calling and personal attacks.


I just want to remind everyone that this is good advice in any non-roleplay context on NationStates.

Carry on.

[edit] After reading Alien Born's post, I realize that I should point out that while posting disrespectfully, per se, is not a violation of NationStates rules*, it does start to lead you to the risk of flamebaiting, flaming, et cetera and should be avoided.

* ...thus calling into question Rotovia's statement of "You may comment", as Rotovia is not a Moderator and does not set NationStates policy....


--The Modified Democratic States of Cogitation
Your Local Friendly Neighborhood Moderator

Standard rules apply for this thread, for those of you who have not before read one of my "My Thoughts On" threads I'll explain quickly. Basically this is just my opinion, it may or may not be based upon solid facts. You ful may comment on my post or the posts of others, but only if it is done so in a respect mannor

Thank you for the permission to post, it is really necessary in a forum. Oh and yes, you are in a position to tell us all how to reply, I am absolutely certain of that.

You do not give any basis for censorship in traditional media, just a doggerel repetition of a biased viewpoint. If you want to say that censorship is to protect people from information that might offend them, then you are proposing the censorship of the news. The world offends people, every day.

No. Think a little more about censorship. It is saying that I, the censor, shall decide what you, the public, shall be exposed to. If you were exposed to absolutely anything you would be corrupted. I however am immune to this, unlike you, Joe Public. I have to be as I have to be exposed to everything to decide what to censor. If i were not immune, unlike you, I would be corrupted by what I saw and then I coud not judge correctly what I should censor.

Censorship has to be self imposed. It has to be that kiddie-porn will not be used to advertise on billboards because it would hurt business. Kiddie-porn is wrong, morally, but so is censorship. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Parental control is weak, at best. For the same reason that you still get spam, no control software is even close to perfect. It will frequently block perfectly innocent websites or allow explicit ones through.

Parental control is weak, at best. For the same reason that you still get spam, no control software is even close to perfect. It will frequently block perfectly innocent websites or allow explicit ones through.

I thought parental control meant the parents knowing what their kids were looking at/doing. I am obviously wrong if this post is correct.

I refer to parental control software. Yes, the best way is for parents to watch their little tykes, but it seems that few care to do so, considering how much time and energy it takes.

i may be biased because i enjoy the seamier elements of the net, but i agree with you. the net is and should remain a bastion of utter (mindnumbinglyawful) free speech.

as you said, it is the easiest medium to control for your children. just dont let them have a computer in their room, dont let them have private accounts and LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING!. or better yet. dont let them on the net at all until they are 16. whatever seems best for a particular child in a particular family

sure there are dangers online. smart parents supervise their children. its way more dangerous to let your 11 year old spend the day at the mall with their friends and no adult supervision. if THAT is legal, then the net doesnt need censorship for the safety of children.


adults can supervise themselves.

besides the internet is a global thing. its impossible for individual governments to pass meaningful legislation. the US govt passed and anti-spam law, is that going to keep the russians from sending us spam? the US has obscenity laws, is that going to keep the nigerians from putting nasty pics online? are we gong to ask the UNITED NATIONS to regulate the net? thats just laughable.

maybe it would be a good thing to be able to censor the net (no it wouldnt.) but its impossible so why put money and effort into something that cant be done?

You know what my parents do?

Put all the computers in the living room. No pc in their own room, well.. until their 18.

I refer to parental control software. Yes, the best way is for parents to watch their little tykes, but it seems that few care to do so, considering how much time and energy it takes.

There is Software now that will "record" an entire "session" on the Web. Then, when a Parent has time, they can review the session in "fast forward" to see what was happening. If the child is aware that this can happen, it can be a very affective tool and still allow some freedom for the child in not having their Parent watch "over their shoulder" while they are using the PC...

Regards,
Gaar

Thank you for the permission to post, it is really necessary in a forum. Oh and yes, you are in a position to tell us all how to reply, I am absolutely certain of that.

You do not give any basis for censorship in traditional media, just a doggerel repetition of a biased viewpoint. If you want to say that censorship is to protect people from information that might offend them, then you are proposing the censorship of the news. The world offends people, every day.

No. Think a little more about censorship. It is saying that I, the censor, shall decide what you, the public, shall be exposed to. If you were exposed to absolutely anything you would be corrupted. I however am immune to this, unlike you, Joe Public. I have to be as I have to be exposed to everything to decide what to censor. If i were not immune, unlike you, I would be corrupted by what I saw and then I coud not judge correctly what I should censor.

Censorship has to be self imposed. It has to be that kiddie-porn will not be used to advertise on billboards because it would hurt business. Kiddie-porn is wrong, morally, but so is censorship. Two wrongs do not make a right.
I am not in a position to set rules for the general forum, however for this series of threads I ask that ou respect the rules I have put in place. Whilst I cannot enforce them, most people have enough common sense to realise why they excist.

I refer to parental control software. Yes, the best way is for parents to watch their little tykes, but it seems that few care to do so, considering how much time and energy it takes.
As oppose to the time and effort some perticular parents put into trying to shut the entire net down.

I find it funny that though this thread started out with a disclaimer it has become viscious more quickly than any other thread I've seen. My explanation: you put a request to keep it PC in front of a censorship thread and you're bound to annoy people.