Internet Censorship – Part 1: (what is it? some examples of areas where get censored, how it affects people)

RapidVPN/ January 11, 2019/ Blog/

What Is Internet Censorship?

Internet censorship is the regulation or control, or limitation of the information that can be published, accessed, or seen on the internet. This restriction can be carried out by the government or private organizations sequel to a directive from the government or its regulators. Internet censorship can also be carried organizations and individuals for purposes best known to them such as morality, business, religion, or conformity with certain societal norms based on intimidation, legal consequences, and other reasons.

 

Internet censorship restricts the information that can be shared or publicized, or viewed on the internet. The restriction is usually on information that is sensitive, harmful, or copyrighted. However, internet censorship can be used to subject people or as propaganda to push specific political or religious agendas.

 

Some leaders are known to use internet censorship to promote their political agenda and limit their people within the confinement of the information they authorize the local media to publish. While internet censorship could be a tool to prevent awareness of certain information, it also prevents such people from accessing information from the outside world.

 

Areas of Internet Censorship

Internet censorship is mostly implemented to limit and suppress people’s awareness of planned protests, riots, and elections. Other areas of internet censorship include defamation, harassment, copyrights, obscene materials, and malware.

The countries that are experiencing strict internet censorship are North Korea, Oman, Yemen, China, and Saudi Arabia.

 

Why Is Internet Censorship Used?

Internet censorship is used primarily to prevent people from:

  1. Gaining access to copyrighted information
  2. Viewing sensitive or harmful content
  3. Promoting certain political or religious ideas
  4. Communicating on particular topics of interest

 

How Internet Censorship Affects People

Internet censorship affects people in several ways as indicated below.

  1. It takes away power from people and leaves them in an oppressed situation.
  2. It limits the freedom of expression.
  3. It reduces online networking, which is the foundation of business growth.
  4. It cuts off people from the rest of the world.
  5. It limits people’s creativity.