GVPT333: Group Community
Kimberly Carter, Dave Dobin, Tim Hammond, Chris Rushing

Introduction

Over the past few years, the Internet has caused the most radical social changes to civilization since the telephone and television revolutionized communication and mass media. The Internet has more far-reaching implications for society due to its interactive nature. A telephone only works when you know the party whose number you are dialing. Television is a passive device, only allowing viewers to select from a set of predetermined program choices. But just as these two forms of media have changed the way we live so too does the Internet change our world through the multitude of information available to us.

One of the greatest concerns facing the Internet industry is how to deal with censorship. There is an urgent need for a viable solution to Internet censorship that can cut across national borders and still satisfy both proponents for and against complete free speech. It is widely recognized that pornography, and specifically child pornography, is an undesired form of entertainment to many. The Internet poses a challenge to lawmakers and the citizens of their communities because of its loose structure and organization. It is difficult, if not impossible, to apply any set of standards to the Internet community because it reaches across national and local boundaries with different attitudes and beliefs in those areas. There is a pressing need to regulate this aspect of the Internet similar to movie and television ratings due to its accessibility and usage among children in this increasingly technological world.