Internet censorship prevents users from creating or viewing specific content online and can be done by governments, businesses, schools, and even home users. Some examples of content that may be censored include material dealing with pornography, graphic violence, terrorism, and political concepts not accepted by a specific region or government. Some reasons for Internet censorship seek to protect users, such as censoring inappropriate content in an environment with children; other censors may have malicious intent. There are also various methods that can be used to block inappropriate material and some are more effective than others.
One of the reasons for Internet censorship is to prevent children from viewing inappropriate content.
Every government, business, school, and individual may have a different reason for using online censorship. Governments can block websites that display material that is illegal in a specific country or websites that discuss undesirable political views. Companies can block websites that employees can use to waste company time, including social media, instant messaging, and online gaming sites. Schools can block students from sites that students might use to fool around, but they can also protect children from viewing content that contains pornography and violence. Home users can use blocking software to prevent the use of a list of specific websites or entire categories of websites.
Various technical methods can be used for Internet censorship, from blocking an individual user’s Internet Protocol (IP) address to shutting down any physical router that provides access to the material. IP blocking, Domain Name System (DNS) filtering, and packet filtering are considered partial censorship methods because there is a chance for users to bypass the blocking. For example, proxy servers are useful for bypassing most of these partial filtering techniques and reducing the security of these Internet censorship tools. The full lockdown method involves taking the routers offline so that no one in the area can bypass the lockdown. Some governments use the full block method due to its reliability.
Internet censorship is a controversial topic and has many supporters and detractors. Those who support Internet censorship argue that it protects citizens from harmful material and can prevent political unrest in some areas. Supporters often stress the importance of blocking illegal child and adult pornographic material as a good reason to censor content online. Opponents of Internet censorship argue that it takes away their right to freedom of expression, that governments can use the tool to prevent citizens from knowing important information, and that some can abuse their power.
