The Internet And The First Amendment Essay — страница 3

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groups send messages out that could influence or persuade the wrong message the government still cannot oppress it. Even religious cults can publish anything they want on the Internet just so long as it doesn t violate national security and it doesn t afflict death on others. This is the right given under the first amendment to ever citizen of the U.S. For a religious group to be neglected for reasons that pertain to the first amendment would be just the same as neglecting the press from covering news broadcasts. This is what protects freedom of religion now as it did back when the colonists worried about religious oppression. What Restriction is needed? The question that is most important in the government right now is how can they can control what is going on in the world of

cyberspace, without violating the national rights in the constitution. Whether or not it means starting with information coming from abroad by international means or for the most part just grasping into the reality that it is an expanding world with large capabilities. If the most pressing issue is what our children see on the web, then that should be left up to the parents. Many programs have been made for parents to choose what is accessed and what is restricted on a personal computer. If you give a person an inch they will take a mile, this is one of the main concepts of why the Internet has expanded so much. But along with expansion came those very programs that restrict and keep important information from getting to our school. The Senate Commerce Committee approved the

“Internet School Filtering Act” (S. 1619). The bill would require schools and libraries receiving federal “e-rate” Internet subsidies to certify that they are using filtering software designed to prevent minors from accessing “inappropriate” material (http://csf.colorado.edu/pen-l/may98/0238.html). This act was said to keep important learning materials away from students and is being fought to try and remove the new software systems. So in society you really can t win and you can t please everyone. The government will try to satisfy the general public but someone will always never be happy. In a world larger than what is in front of our eyes, we have the Internet. A world where the possibilities are endless and the boundaries are endless, we have information being

spread over a million bytes a minute. This has been one of the biggest breakthroughs since the computer came out and has given us a far better and advanced way to communicate with friends, family, and business associates. With the Internet came a debate about how the first amendment was to play a role in restricting the content. The Internet relates to the first amendment in almost every aspect of the first amendment. It ties in with freedom of speech because the Internet gives you a faster way to speak your mind with out the hassle of being known or having someone else put you down for it. With this also comes the freedom to press, which gives the press the ability to print or post what ever they want on the internet just so long as is isn t slander, but all this holds true in

public just as it would on the Internet. The Internet also boosts freedom to religion because with the ability for any one to access the web and to publish information Church s and religious cults can publish their own web pages. The main goal for the government now is to figure out how exactly to restrict information that they do believe can be proved unconstitutional. But the path is a long way from where it needs to be on how to restrict the Internet, and like Napster there will be many more Supreme Court battles in decided what is just and will up hold our laws. But for the time being, regulation of the Internet can start at home, all it takes is a parent to set what his or her child should see and view. This kind of parental care would be one way to not violate the

constitution and to solve many problems of kids getting the wrong impressions about certain subjects. The Internet is a tool, mixed with the first amendment it gives a very interesting way of viewing and finding out things we never knew. The power is in our hands so if we respect the Internet and realize our rights as American citizens we can travel as far as the mind will go