..."I believe the government has the right to fully monitor internet content. I feel this way because monitoring prevents bad acts from happening in our country. It also gives people a sense of feeling safe and secure everyday. Monitoring keeps people's emotions in check. Lastly, with this monitoring taking place, the world will be a safer place. Less people would be killed/harmed, and the world be a lot less chaotic. First, I believe the government has the right to monitor internet content because it prevents bad acts from happening. Take for instance, the Las Vegas shooting at a country music concert. The suspected shooter opened fire from the 32nd floor of a hotel. Perhaps if we had a policy in place here in the United States, like in Europe, this tragedy could have been prevented. The European policy requires a passport or an identity card to be shown when checking into a hotel. The individual's personal data is then sent directly to the national police. The national police can alert the hotel of any unusual behavior of the impending guest....
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..."At its inception in the 1990s, Internet usage was limited to government officials for communication purposes. A couple years later the evolution of technology started to boom, and soon Internet was available to the public. Since then, the Web has come a long way. Now, people have access to everything from instant weather updates to video chats with family across the globe. Its evolution opened doors to endless opportunities, but with the advancement comes a need for change in government interference regarding web content. Anything can happen on the Internet. If there is suspicious activity, the government needs to know about it to protects its people. In order for society to progress with the increasing influence of the Internet, the state and federal government are obligated to take on a larger role in monitoring internet content....
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...one of, if not the most, well known Amendment. The freedom of speech, petition, religion, press, and assembly is important to all Americans. However, the government feels that they hold power to monitor content on the internet, on a federal, state, and local level. This has become a recent controversy with Net Neutrality being in danger of being removed, the growing social media industry, and internet filters that are being put in place by school districts. There are implied powers involved in the Constitution, but with the creation of Net Neutrality, there should be no need for the use of any implied powers. A line that has been drawn, and no level of government should cross that line unless there is someone who is truly suspect as to being a threat to the safety of the citizens of the United States....
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...Censorship of the Internet – a detriment or a necessity? Kelly Chan A research paper for Matthew Mansour in response to: Throughout the world there has been an increase in discussions regarding “Censorship of the Internet, explain how Censorship can work in some instances but in others it can be a detriment to society. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 What is Censorship? 3.1 Self Censorship 3.2 Censorship as Protection 1.0 Introduction The Internet has undoubtedly developed into the biggest source of global information and media since its modest inception in the late 1960’s. With the increasing ease of worldwide access due to cheaper methods of producing technology and education, bridging the digital divide. However, Government censorship and regulation of access to certain content available on the internet in various countries has raised issues about whether it is effective, regarding each country’s purpose in imposing censorship and whether it is detrimental to the growth in knowledge and progress of society. In this research paper, the role of Censorship in society and the inherent need for appropriate regulation of different levels of access to available information, based on morals and the responsibility we have to the younger generation to protect them from unsuitable content is discussed along with the technology we have to ensure this. The varying degrees of censorship between China and Australia will also...
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...upon the rights of the individual and inhibits freedom of expression. Now, censorship is a broadly used term so what exactly IS censorship? Well, censorship is defined by the Australian Macquarie Dictionary as ‘the actions of a censor – that is, an official who examines books, plays, news reports, films, radio programs (and more recently the internet), for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military or other grounds’. Censorship has been around since the beginning of time. It has been used as a tool to control what others have access to. In Australia today, we are supposedly guaranteed the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of the press by our constitution. Yet censorship still exists. We are told censorship is necessary, but at what cost? National security and public interest, are these valid reasons? Why must the government decide what is best for me to read or watch in a cinema or in the privacy of my own home? Sure, we must protect our youth, but that is a parent's responsibility, not the government's. I can understand censorship based upon national security; we can't go around selling all of our secrets without a major threat to our government and our way of life. Censorship is a way of controlling the population. This is exactly why we have laws that forbid random censorship. Some censorship is necessary in every culture, but only a minimal amount is required. Australians love freedom. The rest of the world regards us as one of the...
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..."Should employers be allowed to monitor personal communication of its employees?" Ellen Berkeley, Amy Davis, Shawn Molloy, Deborah O’Leary, Karey Raubenheimer BCOM 275 October 31, 2011 Professor Tom Melpolder Although organizations have monitored employees for centuries, a number of developments have greatly expanded the amount and scope of employee monitoring. For example, recent technological advances have dramatically altered the nature of work, the working environment, and employee–employer relationships. As a result, information technology has emerged as an integral part of today’s organizational infrastructure. These new technologies have the potential to improve worker efficiency and effectiveness. However, there are risks associated with any new technology including the potential for employee abuse resulting in negative consequences (Alder, Kuenzi & Schminke, 2008). Private communication such as e-mails and social media in the workplace has emerged as one of the stickiest legal issues of the electronic age” (Cappel, 1995). The debate is divided. One side believes that employers should not have full control over its employee’s personal communication. Their view is that employees should have the ability to communicate with friends and family while on breaks, as long as productivity isn’t affected. Further, they believe that employees have a privacy right and should be allowed to communicate while at work without being monitored...
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...Employee Privacy Report The need for businesses and organizations to access the internet has brought about several concerns regarding employee privacy while emailing and surfing the internet at the workplace. Each employee is given access to company issued computers and equipment, and consider his individual email messages and internet browsing to be private. In most organizations, security controls, such as passwords, are used to ensure privacy; however, the internet systems managers still have access to employees’ activities. Employees usually do not realize that these security measures are intended to prevent unauthorized access to his computer and files, not to invoke control over the employees. POLICY IMPLIMENTATION Organizations can review the following guidelines when developing or improving the company’s existing policies: • Policies should be properly discussed and reviewed with management and employees. • Policies should specify what activities will not be tolerated within the workplace. • Policies should specify what accessed information is kept in a log and who in the chain of command will have access to this log. • Proper computer and internet security policies should be set in place and reviewed with all employees and management. • Policies should address how the organization will be monitoring employee compliance with these policies. • Regular review of stated policies will allow the organization to make the necessary changes to keep pace with...
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...believe it is acceptable for parents to use whatever source they feel necessary to protect their children, including but not limited to Spyware to monitor computer use. To further support my views of protecting children on the internet, we will consider family values, current laws and age appropriate monitoring. In my opinion, judgments and views from outside sources should not penetrate the “Family Values” that are usually dictated by the Head of Household. In most cases Family Values are there to deter any risky behavior by minor children. While the Internet allow kids the freedom to make friends, play games and research homework with the click of a button, it can pose a potential danger as online predators, cyber bullies and scam artists share the same freedoms. While there is no easy solution, preventative measures can greatly reduce a child’s chances of becoming a victim. Given the potential dangers of children’s internet usage, see the following suggestions for addressing internet safety in the home. 1. Explain to your children the potential hazards of online sexual solicitation and the risks associated with internet communication with strangers. 2. Teach your child to avoid sending personally identifying information via the internet. Such as a real name, address, school, telephone number, photos or names of family members. 3. Install a firewall, privacy filtration software and an antivirus program. 4. Discourage children from downloading games and...
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...perceived benefits of Internet freedom has gone to great lengths to censor information and electronic communication of its people. Spending billions of dollars and a staggering amount of manpower, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to filter its Internet causing human rights activists and political dissidents to cry foul. However, the CCP has successfully found an impossible balance between censoring content they deem subversive while taking away the opportunity for horizontal mobilization against the party all the while still taking an approach that doesn’t completely ban access to the internet allowing China to not fall behind other internet oriented countries. Although many argue that electronic censorship of any kind is detrimental to human and political rights at the expense of the regime’s power, the CCP’s approach in selective censorship of the Internet while maintaining the growth of the Internet as a budding industry has proven largely successful. The Communist Party’s recognition of the Internet as one of China’s greatest assets paired with its selective censorship of its content and its users continues to solidify the CCP’s power as the single party of China. Its continuation of censorship bears positive implications for China politically in strengthening national sovereignty, economically in improving economic prosperity, and socially in protecting its user base as China continues on its path to becoming a world superpower amidst Internet boom. For centuries...
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...As computer and internet technologies have continued to grow and improve, they have become an integral part of the everyday lives of those that have access to the technology. Likewise, the technology is a valuable resource in the workplace and most companies provide computers, internet access, and email accounts in order to increase productivity. This valuable tool can also be a powerful distraction, however. These distractions often lead to inappropriate usage of the tools provided by the employer. “In a 2002 study by the Computer Security Institute, 78% of polled enterprises reported employee abuse of Internet access privileges by workers, including downloading pirated software or pornography, shopping on the Internet, and inappropriate use of email systems” (E-Monitoring in the Workplace 2006). This shows the magnitude of the problem that is facing many of today’s employers. The best way to prevent these problems is to provide a clearly stated online policy and to monitor computer mediated communication (CMC). CMC monitoring is the employer’s right and helps to ensure the protection of the company in addition to providing a valuable means to evaluating and improving employee behavior. A common argument against the use of CMC monitoring systems is that it is unethical and violates employees’ constitutional right to privacy. The fact of the matter is, however, that the employees, provided with computers, online access and email addresses by the employer, have no rights to...
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...constitutional and legal requirements, employers have more latitude when it comes to delving into matters that some employees would otherwise consider personal and private. Therefore, it is important for employees to be aware of his or her privacy rights in the workplace, including policies regarding use of e-mail and Internet. Email and the Internet undoubtedly has revolutionized the way the entire world communicates. The irony is this technology erodes the expectation of privacy because users expose themselves to personal identity theft and it proliferates illegal and malicious activities such as child pornography; harassment; cyber attacks on personal and business networks; and attempts to steal intellectual property. All of this comes with a personal, legal, and financial cost, especially for businesses. Therefore, to protect themselves from legal action and monetary damages, it is necessary for businesses to implement policies that govern the appropriate use of their electronic systems. A Real-World Example of Email use, Internet use, and Privacy policies To demonstrate existing email and Internet use policies, below is a summary of the privacy and email and Internet use policies of a major defense contractor located in California. Privacy By law, all personally identifiable information for employees and external users is protected. The definition for this and the measures of protection are thoroughly defined in the policy. For California employees, the...
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...02148, USA ACTA and the Enforcement of Copyright in Cyberspace: the Impact on Privacy Iryna Ievdokymova* Abstract: As the reach of the Internet expands, governments increasingly seek to introduce initiatives aimed at controlling individuals’ online activity. One such initiative, aimed, inter alia, at introducing enhanced online copyright enforcement standards, is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The paper analyses a possible effect of Art. 27(3) of the agreement on the data protection and privacy rights, as spelled out in the EU legal order. Firstly, the EU legal framework on Internet surveillance for copyright enforcement will be addressed. Next, the principles and safeguards applicable to data processing in the context of communications surveillance will be illustrated with reference to the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. It will be argued that ACTA, if interpreted broadly and implemented without safeguards, would provide an incentive for graduated response systems, which, as it will be shown on the example of the French graduated response, may trump privacy rights on a massive scale. I Introduction Could cyberspace be considered a zone of liberty, for the most part unrestrained by government regulation and intrusion into individual rights and freedoms? On the one hand, the Internet has served to expand the boundaries of information sharing to an unprecedented degree. However, as the dividing line between the online and ‘real’...
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...Monitoring and survellaince of employees Pro One of the key benefits of monitoring employee computer activity is maximising workplace productivity. In today’s society, most workers spend the majority of their time on their computers and on the Internet. This issue has great prevalence in modern society, as a recent survey found that one out of every eight American workers spend two or more hours per day writing and reading personal e-mails and using their work-based Internet connection for non-work related activities (Towns & Johnson, 2003, p. 10). Another survey (1999) found that more than 90% of American workers acknowledged that they used the Internet for personal purposes during work hours and 84% said that they used their employer-provided e-mail accounts to send and receive personal e-mails (Towns & Johnson, 2003, p. 10). From the employer perspective, it is incredibly easy for workers to engage in their social lives through the Internet and to get distracted. So by the use of monitoring employee computer activity, managers are able to see and further reduce the unproductive activity at work. What employers do with this information dictates whether its ethical or not to monitor employees. Employers must use this information to further align workers goals with the organisation and to decrease the amount of time spent on non-work related websites. Although a balance between work and social lives should be met, allowing employees to feel apart of the organisation...
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...phone numbers and IP addresses to the Government The providers were asked to track the websites the users accessed under the policy of Public Pledge of Self –regulation and Professional ethics. Internet cafes were asked to install software that blocked sensitive content and the patrons who visited these sites had to present their identification under their real name. Chinese Government launched a$800 million surveillance system called Golden Shield for monitoring Civilian use of internet 35000 internet police jobs were created to monitor and censor websites in China. Two cartoon police officers JingJang and ChaCha appeared on the screens to remind users to refrain from accessing sensitive information. The information about the dissidents were collected and prosecuted. Economic China does not have a full bloomed media like in US Average age of internet users is about 25 Users in China use search engines to search for songs and entertainment There is a gap on Internet connectivity in Urban and rural areas (Chiou, 2009) Social In China, Web access and usage is not distributed demographically and geographically. In 2005, 60% of internet users were male and 40% were female Most users were young with 18-24 age group Internet users were the well-educated group. Most of internet usage was concentrated around cities and coastal provinces Chinese business people do not rely on email, as they feel leaving messages is socially awkward (Thompson, 2006) Technical The Government...
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...Freedom of Connection – Freedom of Expression: The Changing Legal and Regulatory Ecology Shaping the Internet by William H. Dutton Anna Dopatka Michael Hills Ginette Law and Victoria Nash Oxford Internet Institute University of Oxford 1 St Giles Oxford OX1 3JS United Kingdom 19 August 2010 A report prepared for UNESCO’s Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UNESCO or its Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace. Preface As stated in its Constitution, UNESCO is dedicated to “Promoting the free flow of ideas by word and image”. Part of this mission, therefore, is to promote freedom of expression and freedom of the press through sensitization and monitoring activities, as a central element in building strong democracies, contributing to good governance, promoting civic participation and the rule of law, and encouraging human development and security. Media independence and pluralism are fostered by the Organization, providing advisory services on media legislation and sensitizing governments and parliamentarians, as well as civil society and relevant professional associations. However, UNESCO recognizes that the principle of freedom of expression must apply not only to traditional media, but also...
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