My+take+on+internet+censorship


 * Self-Censorship! **

It seems that internet censorship is a complicated task and can never really be done perfectly. However, I believe that with the amount of time that digital natives spend online we cannot let the internet remain completely uncensored. The internet simply poses too much of a risk for curious and naive children to let them access whichever site they may access intentionally or stumble across unintentionally. I believe it is up to individual parents and schools to decide how much they want to censor the internet for their students or children. The following are some ideas that I suggest for internet censorship.

I believe that schools should have some basic filtering software that blocks access to obviously harmful websites or URLs. Censoring by blocking key words or phrases with filtering software should be done with caution because of reasons mentioned previously (i.e. unintentional blocking of helpful websites for research or help links).

In fact, to be even more efficient with censorship, schools could have different levels of censoring according to grade level. Obviously, in the lower grades one would want a greater amount of censorship and maybe even allow access to a limited number of websites. However, as students mature and advance academically they will need access to more information online.

However, I have to say that I agree with Co-Director of College Counseling at Rutgers Preparatory School, Shelley Blake-Plock's (2009), insight on internet censorship: "We hear of the threat of sex, drugs, violence, and profanity on the Internet. We are told that we have a duty to keep students safe. We are told that filtering and blocking is the only way. But what of educating? Whatever happened to the notion that teachers are capable of educating their students? Whatever happened to the notion that it was better for a student to learn about the dangers of life among peers in the safety of a classroom led by a trained professional teacher rather than in the darkness of a bedroom alone in the glow of the computer screen? Our students are going to get the information one way or another" (para. 11) Thus, the most effective way that we can keep our children or students from harmful websites, online predators or any other online crime is to focus - both in schools and at home - on equipping children with the skills and knowledge to use the internet safely, ethically, and responsibly.

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