Should Google and Social Media Censor Content?
Google “Michelle Obama” and you might come up with a picture looking like a cross between an ape and the first lady. Search Facebook for “f*** Jesus” and you will come up with at least 3 groups dedicated to their hatred of Christianity and Jesus Christ.
In fact just a few days ago, I received a chain letter via email asking me to put my name on a list that would petition Facebook to remove the group. Up to now I have not added my name to the 300+ list, neither have I forwarded it. Yes I’m a Christian but there is a little thing called freedom of speech.
No I do not find a picture depicting our first lady as a chimp, or a Facebook group defaming Christ or a racist website appearing in the number one spot for the search term “Martin Luther King Jr” on Google. But this is the Internet and we have to remember that unless it is promoting terrorization or used to defame a persons name, a person should be allowed to do it.
Painting the first lady as a chimp is not defamation of character. Don’t get me wrong, it was sick and disgusting, but its satire and there is a difference. So I don’t believe Google should censor content, neither should Facebook clean out its groups, fan pages etc. unless it is promoting activity which is deemed by law to be illegal.
What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments below.
I read at the start of the year that Orkut got into strife when they did not censor child pornography in their Brazillian site:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/international/google-to-battle-child-porn-on-orkut/
It seems that Google’s Orkut could have avoided some unneccessary controversy by not posting certain content.
Google has been censored itself for its Chinese website for years:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4645596.stm
Look what wonders that has allowed the Chinese people.
Yahoo and MSN are also guilty of it, and the irony is that you can find these articles in any of those search engines.
Censorship is a rocky boat. I think we could neglect to include such negative types, but I can’t promote censorship. Once the ball is rolling we won’t be able to catch up with it and everything from cursing and nudity to free speech and freedom of expression, will be expunged from society. xx
Elle Kingsley
Naked News
ellekingsley.com
Well for me it is better to block some site, so that the children couldn’t see explicit content, we all know that because of this social media networking almost all sites can have this content. so it is better that all social media sites have security on this, i really appreciate this article you have shared and my thanks to you.