Flying Fish: Internet Censorship: Downfall of the 21st Century

Joyce Lam
Editor in Chief

I’m a teenager, and I’m part of the generation that can’t go a day without the internet and social media. Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Wikipedia— you name it. Whether it’s for homework or communication, I’m constantly in need of using the Internet. The web has made life much simpler by being fast and efficient.
Recently, many websites were threatened by the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) that were proposed to Congress. If passed, these bills would make it harder for sites—mainly those located outside of the United States—to sell or distribute pirated copyrighted material including movies, music and physical goods.
However, according to Forbes, if both acts are set in stone, it would only allow the Justice Department to shut down any blog or website of their choice, which wouldn’t even tend to the problem of pirated movies or music.
The most recent bills proposed include the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act (PCIP), all dealing with internet censorship.
So what’s the use in shutting down potentially thousands of websites? Piracy and copyright infringement are generally big issues that the government has to deal with, but punishing essentially all internet users by censoring their freedom to explore the web is not the solution.
I use YouTube to watch videos about Calculus (okay, and watch music videos).
I use Google to research for various assignments.
And I use Facebook as a means of communication.
Unfortunately, all three websites are in danger of meeting their end, and the end is scary.