CHAPTER 4

4.1 FREEDOM OF SPEECH

4.2 CHANGING COMMUNICATION PARADIGMS

4.3 CENSORSHIP IN CYBERSPACE

4.5 THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

4.4 COMPUTER AND COMMUNITY

  • The political right to communicate one's opinions and ideas via speech
  • The right to speak without censorship or restraint by the government.

Definition: a pattern or model that allows people to communicate to another person in order to give information about people needs and desires.

Free-speech principles

Regulation of Communication media

  • Print media

  • Broadcasting

  • Common carrier Eg: monorail, LRT, ERL

  • Spoken and written words

  • Pictures

  • Arts

  • Other forms of expression of ideas and opinions

Definition: Written for offensive and/or controversial speech and ideas

The Communications Decency Act

Child Online Protection Act (COPA)

  • Need proof of age from site visitors

  • Limited than Child Development Associated (CDA)

  • $50000 and six months in jail

  • Protect children by reducing access to adult materials

  • $100000 and 2 years in prison

  • Unconstitutional

Users of Computer and Internet 

  • Provide convenient and cheap ways for families and friends to stay connected

  • Internet also created ‘virtual community’ (Second Life)

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Evaluations of the Impact of Computer Technology

  • Computers cause social inequity

  • Benefit big business and the government

  • Do little or nothing to solve real problems

  • Computers separate humans from nature and destroy the environment

Definition: “the gap between those individuals and communities that have, and those who do not have, access to the information technologies that are changing our lives rapidly”