Topic: Censorship of the Internet
Country: United States
Delegate Name: Emily Paull
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United States position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
The internet has become the preferred medium for information. Originally, merely a tool for communication, it has also turned into a means of entertainment and business. As with all mediums relaying information, controversy has come about. The speed of the internet is particularly daunting to certain nations, mostly those who aim to suppress the discontent voices of their citizens. Despite this, the speed is one of the internet’s assets; it is what allows nations to respond quickly to emergencies such as natural disasters and deliver aid. However, such a system will not be effective if there is not a single, free, worldwide web. One of the wonderful things about the internet is that it allows people from different nations, with different political stances, to exchange their experiences and thoughts. The United States firmly believes that the free circulation of information across the globe is imperative.
The internet functions on a personal level as well. In the world, economic status has created a large gap between many. Those who are affluent often are more influential. Shortening the gap between the rich and poor has been a struggle throughout history, but the internet can act as an equalizer. Citizens may successfully make their voice heard despite their age or economic status. An individual who prior was of little consequence can impact the world in great ways. This, in truth, serves a dual purpose: it allows individuals who previously struggled to communicate their thoughts or criticisms through a medium in which they can be clearly heard. This freedom of speech allows citizens to hold their government accountable for their actions. Any attempt to silence an individual in such a manner is a direct violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that individuals have the right “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” The rights that censorship limits do not end there. The internet has created a sort of virtual gathering, meaning that the censorship of social networks is equivalent to taking away the freedom of assembly and worship.
Furthermore, the censorship of the internet often jeopardizes the nation that wants the censorship. Today, a nation’s economy is a truly global enterprise, and censorship aimed towards suppressing political dissent is equivalent to censoring commercial speech. This puts businesses at a disadvantage to those that have access to all the information available on the internet. And while the United States’ opinion on the matter may differ from that of their trading partners, they have every intention of addressing those differences in a cooperative and positive manner.
Having stated the driving purpose of the internet and emphasizing the importance of those qualities, the United States must reflect upon the imminent challenges. There will always be those who are enemies to the values of democracy and the freedoms it guarantees. The United States will not tolerate the use of the internet to incite violence, for acts of hate speech, criminal hackers, or the use of the internet to spread child pornography or exploit trafficked women and young girls. The United States, in junction with the United Nations, will strive to create a policy that retains the security of the internet for those who rely upon it in their leisure and their business. Creating a policy will be a tricky game of balance yet we must persist – without fail. The United States recognizes that today’s world is one unalterably connected and an attack on the freedom of the internet in one country is an attack on the freedom of the internet in all nations.
