Image by Windy Ed via Flickr
You know by now that the Internet is the information superhighway. It’s the place that allows you to find information on almost anything. You might be wondering what the rules of the road are for the information superhighway. The short answer is there aren’t any rules, or there aren’t that many.
First, it’s important to understand that the rules for the Internet vary from country to country. Just like the laws of censorship on TV vary from one country to another, so do the standards for what is acceptable to put online. A country may not have free speech rights for its citizens. Therefore, a blog about the ills of that nations government by one of its citizens might be removed immediately and that person be fined or jailed for their speech. The same is true in America when it comes to sexually explicit content involving persons under the age of 18. While the United States has some of the most uncensored content online, even they have rules and restrictions to protect minors.
In most cases you will find that what is put online is usually in step with what is set forth in that country’s charter or constitution. For instance in the United States in 1996 the government tried to put a stop to pornography online but in 1997 the decision was overturned by the United States Supreme Court because it wasn’t in line with the freedom of expression laid out in the constitution.
The idea of censorship is enacted online when the content infringes on someone’s personal rights. Content that infringes, for instance, on their right to privacy would be censored. So while someone might know the combination to a safe that is in your home, free speech online does not give them the right to put the information in a blog, therefore putting you, your home, and your valuables in danger.