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"The Paradox of Censorship: Examining the Complexities and Consequences of Controlling
Speech and Information"
Ali Umar
Lone Star College-University Park
ENGL-1302 6014 Composition and Rhetoric II
Professor Willingham
27 March 2023
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Censorship is a widely used buzzword in today's media and is often employed to criticize
institutions for mishandling negative feedback, ultimately leading to a ban on the media in
question. This practice is prevalent among major governments in controversial countries.
However, censorship has been around for as long as humans have communicated, and it severely
impedes a society's ability to evolve by limiting exposure to differing perspectives and valid
criticism. It creates an echo chamber of positive thought that stifles progress and reduces the
quality of life for those subjected to it. In this paper, I will define key terms related to censorship
and explore its advantages and disadvantages in depth.
Key Terms
As censorship grows into a larger and more severe issue, the ways in which censorship
can occur also begin to branch out and become more prevalent as a whole. For example, a
method for censorship that has been growing in popularity recently is social media censorship.
Social media censorship, better known as internet censorship “occurs when governments try to
restrict citizens' online activities(Bernadette H. Schel, 2014 p. 3)”. Another form of censorship
which has been growing recently is reverse censorship. Take for example the incident in China
back in the mid eighties when a Chinese newspaper began to self censor “By directly substituting
official propaganda for independent editorial content (Joel Simon, 2015 p.94). These new types
of censorship create a very toxic environment for any true and unfiltered knowledge.
Question 1: Is censorship always bad?
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The question of whether censorship is always bad is a complex one, as there are different
forms of censorship and various contexts in which it is employed. In some cases, censorship can
be necessary to protect the public from harmful or offensive content, particularly when it comes
to things like hate speech and incitment of violence. In such cases, censorship can be seen as a
way of promoting social harmony and protecting vulnerable members of society. However,
censorship can also be used to suppress dissenting voices and limit freedom of expression,
particularly in authoritarian regimes where the government seeks to control the flow of
information and restrict public discourse. In these cases, censorship can be seen as a tool of
repression and a violation of human rights. Ultimately, whether censorship is always bad
depends on the specific circumstances in which it is employed. In a democratic society that
values freedom of speech and expression, censorship should be used sparingly and only in cases
where there is a clear and compelling public interest at stake.
Question 2: Why does censorship exist?
Wether we like it or not, censorship is and always will be an integral part of how our
society is run as if there is some information worthy of hiding, there will always be someone
trying by all means to hide it. The quote "Censors usually act out of a concern for protecting
others from harmful material"(Hull, Mary, 1999, p. 2) provides a compelling explanation for
why censorship exists. Those who support censorship often argue that it is necessary to protect
individuals and society as a whole from exposure to content that could be harmful, offensive, or
morally objectionable. Another narrower reason for censorship’s existence is by means of
political manipulation. Take for example the incident in 1971 regarding the pentagon papers. In
1971, contreversial and important documents concerning the vietnam conflict “were published
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by the New York Times, touching off a debate on national security versus the right of the people
to know” (Hull, Mary, 1999, p. 27). These are just a few examples of the many reasons why
censorship exists. It is important to note that while censorship may be necessary in some cases, it
can also be used to limit freedom of expression and violate human rights.
Question 3: What are some examples of censorship in the modern world?
As we already know, censorship is all around us, but it is a bit difficult to actually
pinpoint some of the different types of censorship that have or are affecting our everyday lives.
To combat this, I will list off a series of recent events that have affected the way that we gain
unfiltered information. A recent example of censorship is the censorship that takes place on the
internet. Each year “The government attempts to control internet content” (Bernadette H. Schel,
2014 p. 3). This means that the government is beginning to clamp down on the internet which
can be seen by the recent regulations of popular whistleblowing website Wikileaks. Another
example of censorship can be seen in Pakistan in the year 2011 where the journalis Saleem
Shazhd was killed by the Pakistani government and the information surrounding his murder were
censored by the Pakistani government. As a journalist says, “ Today we live in a world in which
the old information order dominated by large and powerful media corporations” (Joel Simon,
2015 p.8). This world which is dominated by monopolies of information, has made it very easy
for corporations and governments to take advantage and censor information.
Conclusion
In summary, censorship is a complex issue with both advantages and disadvantages. On the one
hand, it can protect individuals and society from harmful or offensive content. On the other hand,
it can stifle dissenting voices and limit freedom of expression. Censorship has been around since
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humans started communicating and can severely hinder a society's ability to progress by limiting
exposure to differing perspectives and valid criticism. Examples of modern censorship include
social media and reverse censorship, both of which restrict access to unfiltered information.
Striking a balance between protecting individuals and preserving freedom of expression is
crucial, and censorship should only be used when there is a clear and compelling public interest
at stake.
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References
Simon, Joel. “Library Database Authentication.” The New Censorship : Inside the Global
Battle for Media Freedom, 2015, https://web-s-ebscohostcom.lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzg2MDQ0MV9fQU41?s
id=64052c64-f6b2-4b7c-847c4548d0d2c2f5%40redis&vid=7&format=EB&lpid=lp_11&rid=0.
Hull, Mary. “Censorship in America : A Reference Handbook.” Ebsco, 1999, https://webs-ebscohostcom.lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzk4MjZfX0FO0?sid=64
052c64-f6b2-4b7c-847c-4548d0d2c2f5%40redis&vid=7&format=EB&lpid=lp_I&rid=0.
Schell, Bernadette H. “Title: Internet Censorship: A Reference Handbook : A Reference
Handbook.” EBSCO, https://web-s-ebscohostcom.lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzg0MjU2N19fQU41?sid
=64052c64-f6b2-4b7c-847c4548d0d2c2f5%40redis&vid=8&format=EB&lpid=lp_3&rid=0.
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