The US government should institute formal policy that bars overseas sales of systems that provide targeted Internet surveillance if such systems are used to violate human rights or freedom of speech (such as the current internet censorship in China).
In the US, the question of Internet surveillance has always been one of heated debate. Internet surveillance is a subject of great uncertainty. Many people are in favor of monitoring what people post or search online in order to decrease the amount of online sexual predators, computer hackers, identity thieves, and so on. However, monitoring what others choose to do is in direct question with our inalienable rights listed in the first amendment. Also, according to the Fourteenth Amendment, we are guaranteed liberty, or freedom. Monitoring what people do online directly infringes upon our right to liberty. In a sense, if every move we make, every sentence we post, every site we visit is in surveillance, we are taking one step closer to communism. This is very similar to George Orwell’s well-known book, 1984, which examines the downfall of a society in which all the citizens are constantly watched and monitored by “Big Brother.”
Though many believe that Internet surveillance should be banned, there are also many viable arguments stating why it should be allowed. First and foremost, online sexual harassment has rapidly increased in accordance with the rampant influence of technology in society. By incorporating Internet censorship in the United States, online sexual predators can be targeted and arrested. Also, corruption such as identity theft, hacking, and online bullying is at great existence in cyberspace. By endorsing internet surveillance, the government can control these issues in a more efficient manner.
First and foremost, as a citizen of the United States, we are granted certain inalienable rights as stated in the first amendment. It can be inferred
The evolving capabilities to speak out and criticize the Chinese government using microblogs and other Internet social media will lead to more and greater freedoms for the Chinese people.
In an increasingly technologically based society, the concept of microblogging has emerged. Microblogging is a social medium in which users can come together through the internet and post brief sentences, links, videos, etc. Microblogs tend to vary in their use. Often times, they are simply used for people to state what they are up to. However, often times microblogs are created for a group of people to unite, express, and exchange their views and opinions regarding a certain matter. This technological forum offers a new outlet to Internet users to practice their inalienable right of freedom of speech. This modern day technological advancement allows people to come together and delve into vital issues, which affect their way of live. Microblogs stimulate conversation among the group of participants and pave the way for ideas to be exchanged. In a sense, the capabilities of microblogs have revolutionized the way information is shared, as well as the way in which ideas are exchanged and perceived. Thanks to this modern day innovation, common people can now serve as major sources of information in the case of events.
Due to China’s hefty population and economic state, the Chinese government governs the people with an extremely watchful eye. Under the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese people are allowed very little rights due to the strict structure that has been established throughout China’s history. The government in itself is structured as a dictatorship, granting the Chinese people very little freedoms. There is a bare minimum of dissent and free speech that is allowed under the Chinese Communist Party’s rule. The Chinese government merely relies on reiterating constant clichés, which provide very little information to the people. With this said, the Chinese people are left in the dark; ignorant to the issues which affect their way of life. Until recently, the Chinese people had no means of a voice in issues revolving around the government. In a sense, the people were powerless and voiceless; they were the limp and lifeless puppets ultimately controlled by the puppeteer, or in other words, the government. However, the innovation of microblogs is beginning to change the way information and opinions are shared. Common people are now being provided with the opportunity of having a voice in the political system. In fact, over tens of millions of Chinese people are taking advantage of this new system of exchanging information. In fact, mass amounts of Chinese people gather together through this broadcasting medium after major events in China and criticize the government. This new method is allowing the Chinese people to unite and dabble in a forum based around the principles of democracy. Although these evolving capabilities for Chinese people to critique and voice their ideas and opinions revolving around the Chinese government have grown to give the common people more freedoms, this method is also working against the people.
Many believe that the Chinese people will attain more and greater freedoms by utilizing microblogs and other social media. The use of microblogs has not only provided the common people in China with an opportunity to express their opinions and voice their critiques of the government, but also provides them with a news source. Thanks to microblogs, the Chinese people are now provided with a method to increase their awareness circulating the function of the government. The microblogs allow a type of source of news for the common people. Unlike the lavish and hard to interpret statements which the Chinese leaders concoct, these opinions are put into everyday language; ultimately, easy to understand to the everyday people. Through this knowledge, the Chinese people are able to express well-developed ideas about the government and are able to offer insight about the political system. Unlike other news medias in China, the government did not initally censor microblogs; therefore, this social media provided a great extent of freedom of speech to the users. In fact, television news stations, newspapers, and other government-censored forms of written and broadcasted media often misconstrue the issues facing the Chinese people. Microblogs can potentially serve as a way to inform government leaders of the people’s opinion in their leadership. The Chinese government can now view these posts and incorporate some of the insight of the Chinese people into the workings of the government. By incorporating this method, the government leaders will not only please the people of China, but will also better the overall function of the political system. Although microblogs may not be able to change the communist based political structure, they will be able to provide government leaders with ideas to better the government from the viewpoint of the common man. This method will then provide a positive outcome all around. Not only will the Chinese people be given a greater voice and influence in the government, but the Chinese leaders will also receive greater approval from the people.
Although a vast amount of people believe that microblogging could offer more and greater freedoms to the Chinese people, some say that these notions of freedom are merely illusions that will never be attained. In fact, a plethora of flaws exist. Although microblogs were initially meant to be uncensored sources of information, there are many that are becoming censored by the government. In fact, the government aims to eventually censor all microblogs and social media outlets, which express the political views of China. Therefore, true freedom of speech will never actually be gained as long as China remains a dictatorship. Based off of history repeating itself, the stronghold of the government will overturn any chance for freedom of speech and will maintain a watchful eye over the exchange of information published and shared online. Another argument raised is that microblogs are pure “rumor mills.” A large amount of the information that is shared on this social media outlet is not credible and cannot be taken seriously. For example, some uneducated factory worker may have the ability to post something on a microblog. This uneducated worker has very little knowledge of China’s political system; chances are his ideas may be underdeveloped and ultimately far from factual. Another setback of microblogs is accessibility. Due to the digital divide, not everyone in China owns a means of accessing microblogs, thus limiting the amount of freedom this technological media actually presents. However, the main idea remains that freedom of speech will never be truly attained by the Chinese people due the Communist mindset that has plagued the country for over ninety years, limiting the freedoms of the Chinese people.
