Does the Internet need controls or censorship?

[Nebulous]

Does the Internet need controls or censorship?

If so, what kind?

[Moonface]

Depends on what scope we're looking at here. If it's in the context of preventing websites from existing based purely around hate, child porn, terrorism, etc. then such sites need to be located and anyone using them tracked down if possible if they are saying or sharing things that break laws or insinuate a threat to others.

If it isn't something that breaks a law or incites hate/discrimination/violence then I can't think of a case of anything else that should potentially be removed from the internet. The problem is that anything I've said that shouldn't be allowed is likely stuff that will already be investigated and shut down when found, but the people will just move on elsewhere and likely use ways to hide their real identity and location.

[Nebulous]

I am pretty anti-censorship,, but some things definitely cross the line. One time I saw a (real) terrorist beheading video and I am still scared from it. Things like that should be censored/banned for sure.

[Maniakkid25]

I have to say, I actually disagree with that sentiment. Oh, don't misunderstand: if you post a snuff film on the internet, you should absolutely go to jail for the crimes involved if there are any. But, once it actually gets ONTO the internet, it's part of history and should actively be fought for to be preserved. This is why it was a sad event when Live Leak finally went offline, and why Youtube used to fight to keep uploads of R. Budd Dwyer's LIVE SUICIDE up despite it being a clear and egregious breaking of their terms of service. The worst thing we can do is forget something ever happened, because then it means that people will do it again with no lessons being learned. We need to fight to keep these memories alive, so we don't forget what happened when it does.

If you want more info on the R. Budd Dwyer thing...

And before you ask, YES, you can still watch the press conference of R. Budd Dwyer where he kills himself live on TV on the Internet Archive! I'm obviously not going to link it, because it is literally footage of a man KILLING HIMSELF IN FRONT OF NEWS CREWS! But it's not hard to track down when you know where to look. Fuck, a google search of his name will track it down for you!

Small tangent: the song "Hey Man, Nice Shot" is about R. Budd Dwyer, not Kurt Cobain. Just wanted to throw that nugget out there.

Back on topic: in so much that crimes can be investigated and prosecuted, yes, there should be controls on the internet. But no further than that point. A private corporation deciding what is acceptable on their site is one thing; free speech is a two-way street, after all. But once the GOVERNMENT tries to enforce that, nah, that ain't kosher. Information wants to be free, and we should demand it to be so!

[ShiraNoMai]

I... yeah I can't really argue with Maniak's logic there. Digital losses are just as permanent as physical ones, despite our trust in the platforms that keep the digital spaces alive.

History needs to be preserved and learned from, it's why we teach it and why we continue to progress forward as a society.