Communications Decency Act: Regulation In Cyberspace :: essays research papers

communication theory Decency forge Regulation In CyberspaceBeing one of millions of surfers throughout the Internet, I have thatfundamental civil liberties are as important in cyberspace as they are in customs dutyal contexts. Cyberspace defined in Websters tenth part Edition dictionaryis the on-line worlds of networks. The right to speak and publish using avirtual pen has its roots in a long tradition dating back to the very foundingof democracy in this country. With the passage of the 1996 TelecommunicationsAct, relation back has prepared to turn the Internet from one of the greatestresources of cultural, social, and scientific cultivation into the onlineequivalent of a childrens reading room. By invoking the overboard and vagueterm indecent as the standard by which electronic communication should becensored, Congress has insured that information providers seeking to avoidcriminal prosecution will close the gates on anything but the most tameinformation and discussions.The Co mmunications Decency Act calls for two years of jail time foranyone caught using indecent language over the net as if reading profanitiesonline affects us more dramatically than reading them on paper. Our FirstAmendment states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment ofreligion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom ofspeech, or of the press.... The Act takes away this right. The Constitution-defying traitors creating these useless laws do not they understand the mediumtheyre trying to control. What they claim is that they are trying to protectour children from moral threatening content.This protect our lost(p) children ideology is bogus. If moregovernment officials were more knowledgeable about online information they wouldrealize the huge flaw the Communication Decency Act contains. We dont need thegovernment to patrol fruitlessly on the Internet when parents can simply installsoftware like Net Nanny or Surf Watch. These programs block all daintymaterial from entering ones modem line. Whats more, legislators have alreadypassed effective laws against obscenity and child pornography. We dont need aredundant Act to accomplish what has already been written.Over 17 million Web pages float throughout cyberspace. Never before hasinformation been so instant, and so global. And never before has our governmentbeen so spooked by the potential difference power little people have at their fingertips.