The Age (2008) has label Kevin Rudd as a hypocritical leader as a year prior to the Beijing Olympics he reprimanded Chinese Authorities for a block on the internet. Rudd expressed his frustration by stating that "They should have nothing to fear by open digital links with the rest of the world during this important international celebration of sport." A year on, Rudd is attempting to implement similar standards on Democratic Australia, by blocking certain websites that the government deems as inappropriate.
What's your take on this? How would you feel if you could not freely surf the internet? What if you could not tweet on twitter or update your status on facebook? Do you feel that your human rights are being trampled on?
Posts
-
As a university student, the internet has become a vital part of my studies, interest and my life. Whether its research, social networking, multimedia, news or blogs, I consider myself as a citizen jounrnalist. The internet transforms into a medium and a portal of communication and information storage- freely available and relating to the freedom of speech, a library or archives or even as simple as a conversation. Many "unrestricted sights or conent" in the eyes of the government may be fundamental to such people as academics or university studies, who rely on various sources of information and content such as a thesis on teenage sexuality and development of puberty. This raises the questino how will we censor information and does the internet act as a limitation to human development and human rights. The internet is primarily keyword driven, and this may cause miscommunication and misinterpretation in distinguishing what is relevant or not. Where do we draw the line? I believe I have the freedom to walk into a library and observe what I feel is suitable and I am comfortable with. I have the choice the read an article in a gossip magaine or to be involved in a protest. The same should apply to the internet; I believe, as human, we ought to have the choice and freeom- the ability to browse and observe freely. The Nazi's in the mid 1900s demonstrated remarkable censorship and propoganda campaigns through Joseph Goebbels. The German government manipulated a nation, are we heading that way? What says we are not victims of this similar campaign or possibly a part of a government's strategy to censore, control and gabricate our thought, rights and decisions?
ReplyDeleteas a future journalist i find the internet censorship as a regresive step in Australian history. i believe that information is a basic human right and banning it with simple excuses of sexual explicit material and homeland security is ridiculous. especially when no blocking software will stand up for the task.
ReplyDeletei personally think that politicians have been given way to much power and the fact that they have been elected because their conservative values they are now using them to shape the world to their beliefs .
100% behind you Anthony and Rommel! I too believe that as a communications student my right and freedom to information will be breached simply because politicians are letting their conservative values interfere with their political decisions
ReplyDeleteWell is there simply any other stand point that can be taken on this issue...The answer in short is NO!!!! I totally agree with you all. I thought this was supposed to be the land of the "Young and free"? Why is the Government taking it upon themselves to filter out and censor the Internet? And please don’t tell me it's for the kids...that’s why parents are allowed to personally place filters as THEY please, of their own FREE WILL on their children’s computers... I believe the Government is simply trying to act more like BIG BROTHER and trying to work its way into a society where complete and utter control is at their disposal....TO INTERNET CENSORCHIP.... I SAY NO!!!!!
ReplyDelete