Demerits of Internet and Importance of Regulating in it

Increasingly, the internet has turned out to be a haven for a variety of activities, from beneficial academic and business-oriented tasks to harmful activities such as terrorism, human trafficking, and financial fraud. In the preamble of her journal “Impossible to Regulate? Social Media, Terrorists and the Role of UN”, Wu states that terrorists post videos of journalists being beheaded online, and security officers have tracked many individuals joining terrorist groups via the internet, particularly social media (Wu, 2015). Social media platforms comprise a significant section of the internet, thus they cannot be excluded from any discussion regarding it.

In late 2017, the United Kingdom government, through its council of ministers, began to develop policies aimed at internet regulation. Such regulation would involve censoring harmful content that can be uploaded and viewed in any given jurisdiction (León, 2017). The openness of the internet has extensively exposed society to potentially harmful content, readily accessible even to children. Therefore, this paper aims to research the benefits of internet regulation, including the management of discrimination, data privacy, security, and consent. Also, it will discuss the opposing argument that regulating the internet might restrict the flow of information among users.

Social media, an internet-based innovation, has revolutionized the way society interacts. People can share information, ideas, and other content like videos with individuals who are geographically distant. The internet does offer many benefits, such as the quick reproduction and transmission of data, user-friendly interfaces, and open access (Peppet, 2014). However, globally-based terrorist groups have exploited social media to further their agenda, which includes posting beheadings and recruiting followers. As a result, social media and, by extension, the internet, have contributed to the growth of terrorist networks worldwide (Wu, 2015). In this context, formulating policies aimed at regulating the internet would prove effective in curbing the spread of terrorism and ultimately save lives. Moreover, internet platform owners should ensure that data collected from their sites is not compromised by unauthorized entities like hackers or terrorist recruiters (Cano, 2016). Prompt tracking and censoring of harmful information from suspected terrorist group members will ensure the majority of users are not exposed to such materials.

Commonly, internet platforms such as social media sites and blogs can be used to propagate hate and discrimination. Cyberbullying is prevalent across all internet platforms and equates to a form of cyber-terrorism. The internet can be an ideal platform for spreading racist ideologies. Despite its numerous benefits, the internet can inflict significant harm on children and vulnerable individuals (León, 2017). With this in mind, policies aimed at protecting internet users from bullies and racists become essential. One way to prevent the internet from being used as a tool for spreading hate is by regulating the service providers (Peppet, 2014). Providers would be required to track the content circulating on their networks and report any breaches of internet laws to the relevant authorities. This would lead to a considerable decrease in cases of cyberbullying-triggered suicides, drug abuse, and mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Like terrorism, discrimination and racism can erode societal integration, causing victims to develop antisocial tendencies.

On the downside, studies suggest that regulating the internet will restrict the flow of information, including its exchange. Regulatory measures would ensure that topics connected to areas perceived as destructive to the wellbeing of society are flagged as inappropriate (Wu, 2015). Consequently, these policies could prevent people from freely expressing themselves, altering the way information is handled on the internet. The data would become elusive, potentially turning the society into an ignorant one. Departing from this notion, useful information will not be affected by these regulations. Furthermore, these policies should aim at identifying content which, beyond reasonable doubt, contravenes the set standards (Griffin, 2017). In the era of artificial intelligence and machine learning, developing, executing and evaluating the impact of an internet regulatory mechanism should be achievable.

In conclusion, the internet has both benefits and limitations. On the internet, one can access a wide variety of information, both destructive and constructive. However, damaging information poses considerable risks to users, including both juveniles and adults. Therefore, it is necessary for governments and the relevant agencies to establish regulatory policies which curb the negative aspects of the internet. Various reasons have been proposed for why the internet should be regulated. Even though the internet turns the world into a global village, terrorists have taken advantage of it to advance their agenda. Additionally, the internet is a platform where both bullying and racism are propagated. These are among the primary reasons that justify regulating the internet. However, some academicians argue that imposing regulatory measures on the internet will disrupt the flow of vital information. Contemporary technological developments, particularly in the field of artificial technology, can adequately address these concerns. This research essay is therefore of the view that instituting regulatory measures on internet use is essential.

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