Can censorship be justified or should the voice of the media and freedom of expression have free reign? What is the point of religious, corporate, and government censorship? Does anyone benefit from the censoring of information? Does society as a whole benefit in any way? The pros and cons of censorship deserve examining to decipher both the role of free speech in society and the role of different types of censorship.
The Pros of Censorship
Censorship is on the internet, in the news, on the ingredient listing of food products. Why? What purpose does it have in society today? Why censor the media and limit freedom of expression?
At first glance it may seem that the censorship debate is black and white — it is wrong to censor information and limit free speech, right? There are reasons that governments, companies, and groups of people have practiced censorship. What are they?
Censorship by the government has been justified as a means of protection of both the state and the people within it. This protection is not so much about physical preservation, but a force or guiding hand in the morals and values of the nation as a whole. According to the Beacon for Freedom of Expression project, in ancient cultures censorship was accepted as a way to regulate morals and the politics of the people. While there is not a focus on individual rights, it is a focus on the well-being of the whole, of the nation.
For example, in America public radio stations cannot legally play anything they want — obscenities and profanities are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. This is to protect the sensibilities of the whole at the sacrifice of the free expression of the individual. As another example, corporate news stations in the United States practice self-censorship; although there are hundreds, if not thousands of relevant news stories nationally and internationally, only a select few topics are covered by all of the major news stations. Does this not protect and stabilize the moral compass of the nation?
Corporations may censor information as a means of self-preservation. Trade secrets are legally kept from the public and other companies in order for the business to maintain legitimacy as a unique entity. For example, if a restaurant makes the best tomato soup in the world, why would customers go to the original restaurant if they could make the soup at home or if they could purchase it at another location?
The Cons of Censorship
If the censoring of information acts as a form of protection, then it should exist without criticism, right? While there are legitimate pros of censorship, the cons are just as important, if not more so:
- Individuals are not able to express themselves freely
- The press is not free to report what it believes to be important
- The spread and sharing of information is stifled
- Biases and homogeneous ideas prevail
All of these problems are the characteristics of a repressed society. Without the freedom for expression and creativity, new ideas, methods, technological innovations, and art may not happen. The more censorship in society the less creation by individuals.
Free Speech vs. Censorship
Just as the justification of censorship is more important for the group than the individual, the negative impact of censorship is oppressive for the individual, but catastrophic for the whole. Without free speech an individual may not be able to publish what they want, but the group loses access to sources of information and is encouraged to follow a singular line of thinking rather than to create, question, and inquire.
This is not only uncomfortable, it is dangerous. If people do not have the ability to seek as much information as they want, and if new creative works are not encouraged then society as a whole cannot evolve, or thrive. While there are pros of censorship and reasonable justifications, the lack of a debate may be the first step backwards to a society that embraces the dictates of the state, the corporation, and the institution rather than the inquiring, free-thinking mind of the individual.
References
Beacon for Freedom of Expression
Censorship, Free Speech on the Internet
Brenna Coleman - Brenna is a freelance writer focusing on natural health and beauty. She has written hundreds of articles, helping readers find ways to ...
Join the Conversation