Would-be net censors and net freedom fighters have one thing in
common: they all accept that there is a problem of children accessing
pornographic images (and the like) over the internet. Indeed the issue
of net censorship has become almost synonymous with pornography on the
net. Those in favour of net censorship constantly cite the access it
gives children to pornography, obscenity, and other unsuitable
material, as grounds for regulation and control. Those against, argue
that freedom of speech is a more important value to be defended, and
instead call for more parental control or individual responsibility.
The idea that children's access to the internet SHOULD BE restricted
and controlled goes almost without question. Thus the evaluation of
any educational internet product includes an assessment of the
controls that the teacher may impose to prevent unsuitable viewing.
But net freedom cannot be defended on this basis. If we accept that
children accessing pornography is a problem to be controlled, then
arguing whether the control should be exercised by the individual or
the state is futile. If there is a convincing argument for individual
responsibility then there is an equally convincing argument for state
regulation where that responsibility breaks down.
In fact the debate has very little to do with "protecting the
children". The idea that children are adversely affected by certain
ideas and images is entirely spurious. For most children the only
excitement to be had from a pornographic image comes from the fact
adults have made them taboo. The remaining children fail to comprehend
what the fuss is about.
The real debate is about controlling ideas that some people don't
like, and about who should have that control. But freedom of speech is
about rejecting ALL controls on what people say, regardless of whether
they happen to be ones you agree with. The only way to tackle ideas
you don't like is to argue against them. Censorship, whether
self-imposed or legally binding, is the tool of those who are afraid
they might lose an argument, and prefer to take ideas they don't like
and sweep them under the carpet.
Chris Ellison
chrise@easynet.co.uk
I notice that there is an Internet Relay Chat debate on Children and
the Internet on Wednesday 10 July at 20:00hrs BST (19:00 GMT) hosted
by Angus Kennedy from Living Marxism magazine at UK.Undernet.org on
channel #livingmarxism.