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@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ --- -title: Freedom of speech in the internet age +title: Considering the nature of freedom of speech in the internet age author: Mohit Agarwal date: September 2021 bibliography: ["reference.bib","socialmedia.bib"] @@ -46,79 +46,118 @@ sense, to one that is more open and wider through the existance of the internet. In modern society usage of the internet is clearly widespread and is -noticeably an incredibly significant in our world today and will -likely continue to be so [@stats;@stats-population;@stats-access]. -The nature of the internet raises many questions in relation to our -understanding of freedom of speech and allows the spread of -information in a way that was once impossible. The significance and -prevalence of the internet both now and in the foreseeable future, -particularly given its popularity with young people means that we must -consider the internet's relation to freedom of speech and how we -should, or rather shouldn't attempt to act on it. - -A significant feature of internet communication methods is its -resistance to regulation to limit freedom of speech. Some popular -internet platforms have been known to restrict their users' -communications, at times to the cause of some alarm +noticeably an incredibly significant phenomenon of our world today and +will likely continue to be so +[@stats;@stats-population;@stats-access]. A significant feature of +internet communication methods are their potential for resistance to +regulation, and thereby resistant to attempted limitations on freedom +of speech. Some popular internet platforms have been known to restrict +their users' communications, at times to the cause of some alarm [@twitter-suspends;@merkel]. These platforms, however, must be -considered for what they are: popular, for-profit, private sites. +considered for what they are: popular, for-profit, privately owned sites. However much we are invited to consider them as communications -provides that exist for the common good of humanity, they are not. In -this light, just as an individual may say what he pleases, or a -newspaper may publish the content of its choosing, a website may host -or not host content of its choosing as a private enterprise. For -those who are not fond of such measures, there are other platforms -which do not moderate users' content to such an extent such as the -site 4chan, but they therby naturally have content that others may -find distasteful [@4chan;@moot]. +provides that exist for the common good of humanity +[@twitter-mission], they are not. In this light, just as an individual +may say what he pleases, or a newspaper may publish the content of its +choosing, a website may host or not host content of its choosing as a +private enterprise. For those who are not fond of such measures, there +are other platforms which do not moderate users' content to such an +extent such as the site 4chan, but they therby naturally have content +that others may find distasteful [@4chan;@moot]. + +Given the prevalence, however, of a small handful of platforms +[@stats], this may be worrying. Although in theory, the internet is +free, in reality a small group of private organisations control any +sense of freedom of speech and have the power and have used the power +to limit it. To an even more worrying degree, they have the power to +limit what we say in what we consider as 'private' communications and +the power to change what we say to something that we did not. Although +we should consider this as a potential threat to freedom of speech, +particularly as these companies may have an interest in regulating +freedom of speech given their revenue from advertisements, we must +acknowledge that this potential limitation comes with using a private +site, and that they cannot guarantee us freedom. Furthermore, unlike +in a traditional sense, any activity we see as a limitation of our +speech is not a terminal act. We can use any platform at any time, +whilst a government can and has maintained its authority over citizens +[@stasiland]. -On this level it is clear, that private regulation is fine, and indeed -quite useful (cite), particularly on popular platforms that are used +On this level it is clear, that private regulation is fine, and +perhaps quite useful such as on popular platforms that are used by large numbers of people, or by particularly young children, such as -YouTube. Governments will struggle to regulate this as much of it is -beyond the bounds of their nation and is of such high volume that an -attempt at regulation would be meaningless. There is cause for -concern, however, with regulation on a 'lower level', such as the -private companies that provide the infrastructure to form what we refer -to as the internet. Sites have been taken down like this [@8chan] and -it is an area that can be dangerous if regulation is introduced ---reword [@ieee-freedom]. Regulation and surveillance at this level +YouTube [@youtube-children]. Governments will struggle to regulate +this as much of it is beyond the bounds of their nation and is of such +high volume that an attempt at regulation would be meaningless. This +means that in the internet age, freedom of speech is in our hands. If +we allow it to, an organisation can heavily regulate freedom of speech +and regulate the information that reaches us, as the major social +media platforms currently do through their 'recommendations', yet if +we act accordingly we can have as much or as little freedom of speech +on the internet as we choose through the variety of platforms. + +There is cause for concern, however, with regulation on a 'lower +level', such as the private companies that provide the infrastructure +that allows the internet to exist. Websites have been removed by these +organisations [@8chan] and can heavily limit freedom of speech if +regulated. It is this that leads to arguments for non-discrimination +by these organisations [@ieee-freedom]. Heavy regulation at this level poses a threat to the freedoms the internet provides and the freedoms of citizens, as it would give governments or private companies to -remove sites as they please. Furthermore, payment transaction -services, such as PayPal or Visa can be considered in this way, and -similarly, any attempts for regulation could be very serious for the -freedoms of individuals. +remove sites as they please. Such regulation is visible, such as in +China, or as we might refer to it: 'censorship' [@china-firewall], +despite much distinction. -In protest to the potential for this there has been an increased -interest in decentralisation. Cryptocurrencies can replace traditional -payment systems, networks such as Tor can circumvent potential removal -of sites from the internet, and decentralised communications protocols -featuring encryption allow free and private communication. In fact, -these technologies are already in popular use, both by those who have -an interest in their privacy and freedoms, but also by criminal -groups. Although there is a lot of effort to prevent this crime -[@crime], the advance of technology makes it more difficult, thus -presenting the problem that attempts to regulate freedom of speech in -the internet age are useless, due to the freedoms the internet age -provides. New technologies make it increasingly difficult to prevent -communication and transfer of capital between parties governments -might wish to. Thereby, it may be of greater interest to encourage -healthy use of the internet, rather than attempt to force it, when -doing so is arguably impossible. +Furthermore, payment transaction services, such as PayPal or Visa can +be considered in this way, and similarly, any attempts for regulation +could be very serious for the freedoms of individuals. + +Although theses limitations may change the nature of freedom of +speech, in protest to the potential for such limitations there has +been an increased interest in decentralisation. Cryptocurrencies can +replace traditional payment systems, networks such as Tor can +circumvent potential removal of sites from the internet, and +decentralised communications protocols featuring encryption allow free +and private communication. In fact, these technologies are already in +popular use, both by those who have an interest in their privacy and +freedoms, but also by criminal groups. Although there is a lot of +effort to prevent this crime [@crime], technology makes it more +difficult for governments, thus presenting the problem that attempts +to regulate freedom of speech in the internet age are useless, due to +the freedoms the internet age provides. New technologies make it +increasingly difficult to prevent communication and transfer of +capital between parties governments might wish to. Thereby, it may be +of greater interest to encourage healthy use of the internet, rather +than attempt to force it, when doing so is arguably impossible. In the internet age, young people are very prominent users of -technology [cite]. Yet, when learning that parents that are involved +technology. Yet, when learning that parents that are involved in the technology industry, such as Steve Jobs limit their own -children in their usage of technology [cite], it can come as a -surprise to us. We should consider how we allow our children to use -technology and make use of the freedoms it already provides and will -seemingly continue to provide [@parenting], perhaps to an even greater -extent. For governments attempting to promote ethical behaviour and -enforce laws, attempted regulation of the freedoms that the internet -provides may be fruitless or may have to be so draconian, as is -visible in China [@bbc-moderation], that these very regulations are -perhaps themselves deeply unethical. Thus, governments should consider -instead promoting education on the use of technology. +children in their usage of technology [@creators;@jobs-ipad], it can +come as a surprise to us. We should consider how we allow our children +to use technology and make use of the freedoms it already provides and +will seemingly continue to provide [@parenting], perhaps to an even +greater extent. For governments attempting to promote ethical +behaviour and enforce laws, attempted regulation of the freedoms that +the internet provides may be fruitless or may have to be so draconian, +as is visible in China [@bbc-moderation], that these very regulations +are perhaps themselves deeply unethical. Thus, governments should +consider instead promoting education on the use of technology. + +Thus the internet offers freedom of speech that is closer to absolute +freedom of speech than it would otherwise be in society. Although +there do remain many limitations and potential for limitations, people +remain keen to circumvent or prevent these limitations through +technology and to limit freedom of speech is far more difficult than +it would be without the internet. Thus we must reconsider what freedom +of speech means. The internet gives it to us in a more genuine sense +than may be present otherwise, and will likely continue to do so. Thus +by reconsidering the nature of freedom of speech we can act +accordingly and encourage use of the internet in a useful, productive, +safe, and ethical way, particularly for young people. The limits of +freedom of speech, are now set by the nature of the internet itself, +and thereby by us. The true consideration is how much we value freedom +of speech, as we can use the internet to further it as we have been +and truly use it for the betterment of freedom for humanity. + # References and bibliography diff --git a/reference.bib b/reference.bib index 2d62895..d05fc9b 100644 --- a/reference.bib +++ b/reference.bib @@ -76,4 +76,18 @@ InCollection{england-wales-crime, edition = {{S}pring 2021}, publisher = {Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University} } +@article{twitter-mission, + title = "Why Twitter’s Mission Statement Matters", + author = "Justin Fox", + year = "2014", + journal = "Harvard Business Review", + url = "https://hbr.org/2014/11/why-twitters-mission-statement-matters" +} +@article{china-firewall, + title = "The great firewall of China: Xi Jinping’s internet shutdown", + author = "Elizabeth C Economy", + year = "2018", + journal = "The Guardian", + url = "https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/29/the-great-firewall-of-china-xi-jinpings-internet-shutdown" +} |