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The Pros And Cons Of Internet Censorship

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The Pros And Cons Of Internet Censorship
Censorship, in true form, is the systematic banning of books, the Internet, or other literature due to content that has been deemed inappropriate. In the United States, it is used widely in the context of adolescent literature. Resistors to this movement often claim that the government is violating many children’s first amendment rights. Numerous cases have been brought. Others find this act of restricting material devastating to the education system. Censorship has infringed on children’s first amendment rights and has violated the civil liberties of American youth. First, it is critical to examine the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states the basic rights of a child as recognized by the United Nations. It states that the governments have a responsibility to take all available measures to make sure children’s rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled (Article 4). Also, when an adult is making a decision on behalf of a child, the child’s opinion must be taken into account (Article 12). Children also have the right to obtain information that …show more content…
Many students and parents questioned the school board’s decisions to remove these books from the library and were backed by a 5-4 vote by the Supreme Court. The Court held that school officials cannot remove books simply because they personally believe that the books are objectionable. The First Amendment protects the right to receive information and ideas and prohibits suppression of material simply because government officials, including school officials, dislike the material. Justice William Brennan states, “The special characteristics of the school library make that environment especially appropriate for the recognition of the First Amendment rights of

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