Podcast Final

The Internet is poorly regulated despite its widespread usage. Internet censorship can help prevent the spread of misinformation and protect the public. Companies have a responsibility to regulate content online and present balanced and truthful information. Filtering news shared online ensures relevance, helpfulness, and truth. Platforms like Twitter have implemented initiatives to direct users to reliable sources and prompt them to verify information before sharing. Censorship does not infringe on freedom of speech but reduces misinformation and cyberbullying. It also improves user experiences and prevents negative impacts like stress and changes in behavior caused by cyberbullying. Censorship regulations protect internet users and enhance their online experience. 95% of U.S. adults use the Internet, according to Pew Research Center, despite widespread usage, the Internet is poorly regulated. I have researched the issue of censorship from both sides, examining pros and cons of censorship in the modern world of technology. I am to explain how Internet censorship can help prevent spread of misinformation. As previously stated, most adults in the U.S. use the Internet, and you are likely among the majority. The Internet is part of our everyday lives. It is in the best interest of people that companies regulate content online. Though censorship can be a polarizing issue, it is important to note that it is not always used as a way to restrict knowledge, but can be a helpful safety tool. I will address concerns regarding rights like freedom of speech, and will explain the positive impacts of censorship. Arguments against censorship often focus on extreme cases, and though there are risks, when done properly, censorship protects the public and improves quality of experience online. Many argue that censorship is unethical and infringes on rights. However, it is the responsibility of companies to protect their consumers. Social media sites and the people who run them are the gatekeepers of a lot of information online. It is their responsibility to regulate what appears in the media. They also have a responsibility to present balanced and truthful information. A majority of people use the Internet as a primary source of information and form of communication. With this being the case, these Internet users also open themselves up to a threat of misinformation. I will now explain how the regulation of information online helps maintain the integrity of media and quality of information shared on social media sites. According to InternetMatters.org, some things that cannot regulate information shared and consumed on social media include fact-checking strategies and dedicated pages for credible news to be shared. The principle of information relevance should be taken into account when regulating what is shared on social media. Filtering the news shared online helps ensure the information is relevant, helpful, and true. InternetMatters.org explained how some social media platforms put guidance and regulations in place to help direct users away from hoaxes and towards reliable sources of information. One initiative was Twitter's move to direct user attention to news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in a separate tab. This way, users could consume information that had been vetted rather than reading random tweets about the situation. Another example of positive censorship comes from Twitter and the Think Before Sharing tag. The site would prompt users to make sure they had all relevant information before tweeting about something. The site reported that users opened 40% more articles, leading to better informed discourse on the site. From previous examples, we can see how websites can use censorship and regulation to help users be better informed and prevent the consumption and spread of misinformation. Censorship helps prevent misinformation, but how can censorship be used without impacting our freedom of speech? Some may think that censorship is going to infringe on the right to free speech online. However, hate speech, rumors, and cyberbullying are unethical, and censorship helps prevent these negative practices in digital spaces. Freedom of speech allows people to express their opinions and ideas, and censorship online should not seek to suppress expression, but rather reduce misinformation and prevent cyberbullying. I will now explain how regulating what users can share on social media prevents cyberbullying and how it can improve user experiences. StompOutBullying.org highlights social media features that can help prevent and avoid cyberbullying. Something as simple as blocking an account technically falls under censorship for websites, but has a positive impact. StompOutBullying has created things like Block It Out Day, which encourages young people to block their bullies. A simple feature like blocking puts power of regulation into the hands of a consumer and displays a positive outcome of social media's regulations. Block It Out Day also helps bring teens closer together. The initiative encourages young people to stand up for themselves and their friends. Things like blocking and reporting cyberbullies are examples of the positive impacts censoring can have on social media. Though most would agree that stopping hate online should be a priority, some may still be worried about their rights. I will address the serious impacts of cyberbullying and unregulated internet speech. Some argue that some people should toughen up and that cyberbullying shouldn't affect what people are allowed to post online. But we can use the guidance from Netiquette to help us understand why kindness is important in online spheres. We need to remember the human and realize that our opinion is not always as valuable as the well-being of others. I will now explain some of the impacts of cyberbullying. According to the National Library of Medicine, victims of cyberbullying are at an increased risk of negative mental states. They are more likely to experience symptoms of stress and changes to their behavior. A quote from the National Library of Medicine states, 93% of cyberbullying victims reported negative effects, with the majority reporting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and powerlessness. While freedom of speech is valuable, hateful speech can have serious negative effects. Regulations and censoring of hateful speech online cannot prevent issues like those mentioned above. Though censorship is a complicated issue and may cause some to feel uncomfortable or defensive, when applied properly, it protects internet users from several issues. The regulation of online activities, including what can be said and what information can be seen and shared, protects users from cyberbullying and misinformation while allowing users to benefit from online news and communication features. Next time you use social media, think about the ways that censorship regulations have affected your experience. Is the information you are seeing true? If so, it was likely vetted by the site to improve your experience. Remember how censorship can protect you when it is used appropriately. Censorship is not a dirty word. It is an essential aspect of life in the digital age. Censorship from private entities like social media sites protects the integrity of information shared and prevents abuse of online communication tools.