The Internet is certainly an important part of the media however not all people use it for the right purposes. Today there are thousands of web sites created by racist, anti-Semitic or homophobic people. These hate sites are basically where people show their aggression verbally. While some of them may seem harmless, some of them may be a real threat.
For instance there is a growing numbers of "how to" Web sites in which terror groups routinely post instructional manuals and videos on bombmaking and computer hacking. Mark Weitzman, director of government affairs for the Wiesenthal Center and a co-author of the report, said thers is a new tendency of home-grown terrorism . He cited the case of a Pennsylvania woman who officials say called herself "Jihad Jane." The most serious consequence that hate sites can lead to is organized activism and malicious attacks. There are major hate sites beginning with or
This is the most scary thing about the Internet, bringing people together sometimes not for the right purpose. Many of these hate sites originate in the United States and are of growing concern especially when hate-crimes now play an increasing role in bias-driven violence.
Even though there is increasing use of internet by extremists, there is no evidence of bringing the aggression to off-line yet. However some governments are passing laws against electronic hate speech. After the Zundel case in which Zundel had published a brochure entitled “Did Six Million Really Die?” in which he claimed that the Holocaust was a myth of a Jewish World conspiracy, Canada’s Justice Department is considering legislation that would ban to use the internet to send hate propaganda. Canada is not the only one, in 2003 EU countries has signed a treaty according to which racist and xenophobic "hate" Web sites could possibly be banned. However there is a big problem with the treaty. The Unites States is considered to be the “champion” in numbers of hate sites and due to the strength of the Freedom of the Speech it is unlikely to shut out the web sites.
Madigan,2002,Internet Hate-Speech Ban Called 'Chilling'.Website:http://www.pcworld.com/article/107499/internet_hatespeech_ban_called_chilling.html
Mi2g,2010.The rise of corporate hate sites - lies, damned lies and extortion news.Website: http://www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/frameset.php?pageid=http%3A//www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/press/021204.php
I agree that the Internet has become a tool to share Ideology's, and sometimes they are very hateful and shocking. The problem, as you mentioned, is who should control the Intent? How could we actually take this freedom away from people? I definitely believe the internet should be a tool to share ideas and thoughts, but has to be limited.
ReplyDeleteThere we go again - the question of whether or not there should be limits to free speech. Without slipping into a deeper philosophical debate (what is free? Where does one's freedom end? etc.), I think we have to be cautious and think twice about the consequences before we start banning websites, and thus people's right to self-expression.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong - I by no means share the ideas most of the "hate sites" voice. On the other hand, though, I believe a mere suppression of these voices will not lead to any lesser hate in society. Besides, when you start banning certain websites, then as Nathalie also points out, you will inevitably face the question of who gets to decide what constitutes hate speech and what does not? According to whom? Should this deciding authority be of governmental nature or perhaps a citizen group? How to justify such body on legal terms - in other words, how would it fit with the concept of free speech?
These are all very difficult questions to answer, but I think very important ones.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with the points mentioned in the blog.
ReplyDeleteI certainly do not like the idea of blocking or banning certain sites, because we are living in 21st century and all of us are fighting for freedom of speech; however, I think that limitation or something else should be done towards those hate studies.
and yet another presentation of the controversiality of the internet. yes it is a beautiful fact that like minded people get together and share their thoughts. but definitely not on the cost of others! who to decide what is to be banned and what not? our society already has clear rules about what is for instance against good taste. I think there are established standards and the what to ban will not be the problem. I am affraid that for instance terrorist will find different ways of how to share their ideas online, for instance in encoding cyphers into photos,etc. So we should start rather sooner than later to act upon this threat. There is more and more students who run amok in their schools, more terrorist attacks, and the internet might be one of the reasons for it, so the internet is the first place where to start solving the problem as well
ReplyDeleteInternet has become one of the easiest ways of sharing or connecting ideas, ideologies or opinions – it has both positive and negative aspects. People have their won rights to express their opinions, but problems arise from not having right purposes. Furthermore, this hate speech evokes several questions for us; is it possible someone can deal with or control the internet? Who can judge the certain standard of limitation?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.I certainly agree that this is a contraversial topic.As for the regulations CEO has already made the first initiations to ban the hate sites (2003) as they define these kind of web sites place where hate speech takes place.And i dont think it is difficult to distinguish a hateful speech and an opinion expressed strongly by someone.As its alredy mentioned above the biggest problem remains the strenght of the First Amandment in US and most of the hate sites come from US. My personal view is that the hate sites can lead to organized group crimes as these sites simply connect people who share the hate towards someone or something.The increase number of 'how to' sites makes it even more dangerous.
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