Thursday, November 11, 2004
Freedom Speech on the Internet... What is too Far?
I surf the internet a great deal, checking out interesting websites, hanging out on IRC (Internet Relay Chat), and talking with friends online. Through this much interaction with the internet, I've found places that are either questionable, or are truly pushing the bounds of "free speech" as it's called. I heartily believe in the First Amendment, but when it comes to technical knowledge with weapon making and bomb building, it's definitely gone too far. These days any disgruntled (teen/terrorist/freedom fighter/anyone else) can get on the internet and look up technical descriptions on how to make bombs and other weapons. One site even has an idiot's guide to making a hydrogen bomb, which they found on an internet newsgroup. Sure, it's not meant to be serious, but the descriptions and instructions are reasonably accurate. What if someone get serious and decided to make one? It would only take some persistance and a few months for them to have a working hydrogen bomb!
The first and foremost thing that needs to be done is to exercise some sense when posting on the internet. Not everyone who's reading has the same disposition you do towards something. That's why I don't have the link to that particular bomb making site located here, it would simply be bad taste.
The trouble with this is any laws made to bring down such sites could also be used to kill sites which would legitimately deserve their free speech. No one would visit the NAACP or ACLU sites if they had to censor everything to ensure conformance with government guidelines. I don't want another Ashcroft running the Justice Department ever again, which is why I have to take the stance that such websites needs to cover their own butts without the legal eyes of the country watching over them instead.
The never-ending question is "How much freedom, is too much freedom?" ¶ 11:03 PM
I surf the internet a great deal, checking out interesting websites, hanging out on IRC (Internet Relay Chat), and talking with friends online. Through this much interaction with the internet, I've found places that are either questionable, or are truly pushing the bounds of "free speech" as it's called. I heartily believe in the First Amendment, but when it comes to technical knowledge with weapon making and bomb building, it's definitely gone too far. These days any disgruntled (teen/terrorist/freedom fighter/anyone else) can get on the internet and look up technical descriptions on how to make bombs and other weapons. One site even has an idiot's guide to making a hydrogen bomb, which they found on an internet newsgroup. Sure, it's not meant to be serious, but the descriptions and instructions are reasonably accurate. What if someone get serious and decided to make one? It would only take some persistance and a few months for them to have a working hydrogen bomb!
The first and foremost thing that needs to be done is to exercise some sense when posting on the internet. Not everyone who's reading has the same disposition you do towards something. That's why I don't have the link to that particular bomb making site located here, it would simply be bad taste.
The trouble with this is any laws made to bring down such sites could also be used to kill sites which would legitimately deserve their free speech. No one would visit the NAACP or ACLU sites if they had to censor everything to ensure conformance with government guidelines. I don't want another Ashcroft running the Justice Department ever again, which is why I have to take the stance that such websites needs to cover their own butts without the legal eyes of the country watching over them instead.
The never-ending question is "How much freedom, is too much freedom?" ¶ 11:03 PM
