Should the Internet Be Censored for Young Users?

We asked our members: “Should the internet be censored for young users?” Here’s one thoughtful response.

“This page cannot be found.” Have you ever come across this kind of webpage? It may be because of censorship.

Internet censorship is when what you view on the internet is suppressed by regulators. As a 16-year-old teenager, I was inspired by this Writing Challenge to ask myself if the internet should be censored for young people.

The immediate response from my mind was, “Yes! It will keep the children safe!” Parents cannot always be there to watch what their children are viewing online, and even on safe sites, there are links floating around that can lead to inappropriate and immoral websites. One click, and the child is vulnerable.

There is so much dangerous content on the internet, such as racism, sexism and pornography, to name just a few risky search results; a child should not be exposed to these things.

However, after thinking twice, I realised it is unreasonable to censor the internet. Will kids actually benefit from this? I believe it would be a violation of free speech. The internet is a platform where people can share their lives—the good and the bad—and inappropriate content will always be there, no matter what.

To teach children about the harms and implications of the internet, and to make them understand its consequences, would be a better idea. Education, after all is the most powerful tool in the world.

Besides, it is not only on the internet where children come across dangerous subjects. Will we ban magazines, books, libraries and museums as well? After all, a child can also learn about the dark side of humanity from those sources too.

Therefore, I doubt internet censorship will actually help. The internet is meant, by design, to be accessible by all around the globe. On it, people can express their feelings and share their ideology. By suppressing our right to share ideas, we are restricting people from their deserved freedom of speech.

While there are dangerous aspects of the internet, it is still filled with a wealth of knowledge. For these reasons, its positives outweigh the negatives. Censorship could end up blocking educational material that just happens to be controversial. It could also block news that is inconvenient to certain parties of power.

The 21st century should be about educating everyone, and if young people are taught to make the right choices online, parents do not need to worry. Prevention is better than cure.

Congratulations to Margi for winning this week's writing challenge: Should the Internet Be Censored for Young Users? Lauren wins a $50 Westfield gift card for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!

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