Nations today, most commonly such as China, Iran, and Burma has become infamous for their wide use of internet censorship and filtering within borders. This paper intends to focus on an open source program deemed the most sophisticated anticensorship prog

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Psiphon: “Why are successful programs such a Psiphon essential in promoting universal social and economic benefits?”

Name: Sara Liao (996129746)

Course: POL108Y1Y
Professor: J. Stein, R. Deibert
Submitted to: Wendy

Date of Submission: March 3rd, 2008

        The technology industry has become one of the fastest growing industries in our society to date. With millions of users around the world and growing, the internet allows for information to be posted, transferred and accessed within seconds with the touch of a single button. However, despite its convenience and effectiveness for many, there are also many cons associated with internet use.

The overwhelming amount of people using the web combined with the high traffic transactions of programs and files opens the doors to many criminal activities, including identity theft and child pornography. Some may argue that it was the emergence of these social problems that led to the first use of internet censorship. Internet companies and government officials began to filter out these illegal activities occurring on the web, setting a catalyst for the censorship of broader content in some countries. Nations today, most commonly such as China, Iran, and Burma has become infamous for their wide use of internet censorship and filtering within boarders. The content that is censored varies widely from website containing pornographic content to political opposition, blogging, religious minorities, or health information sites. For citizens in censored countries, the mere attempt of accessing these forbidden website holds severe consequences for anyone caught engaging in the act.

        

However, complaisant to the popular statement “every cloud has a silver lining”, the silver lining to the growing problem comes in the form of the development of open source software that allow citizens in censored countries to circumvent the restrictions placed on the web via connections through computers of citizens in liberal countries.  This paper intends to focus on an open source program deemed the most sophisticated anticensorship program to date – Psiphon, while evaluating the importance of its success for the promotion of social and economic benefits.

        The paper will first explore the definition of censorship, including basic censorships, where it takes place, and what content is restricted in censored countries. It will then explore the problems associated with internet censorship. The paper will then examine the mechanics of Psiphon and compare its features to that of other open source programs to evaluate its sophistication. Following the examination, it will explore the social and economic restrictions associated with internet censorship, and how circumvention provides benefits to both social and economic factors. It will draw examples from the U.S.’s growing economy relative to internet use and speculate on how China could benefit its economy had it promoted a liberal internet environment. After the given factors are examined, the paper will then explore the campaign involved and how the campaign is necessary for greater success in the fight for liberal internet use.

        Although it is true that internet censorship occurs even in the most liberal of countries, it must be recognised that the act of censorship occurs on many different levels. Today’s safety features equipped with newly built computers often allow parents to adjust settings to their own standards in which their children must abide by. Examples of these parental controls include blocking access to pornographic websites, web pages containing graphic and explicit violence, and other mature content related websites.  On a larger scale, many school boards have taken the liberty to use censorship programs in order to control what websites students are accessing while in school and using the school network. Furthermore, censorship occurs even in the state level, where government officials may nationally censor web pages containing content that clearly infringe on the guaranteed rights of the state’s citizens. One of the most well known examples of internet censorship in Canada was through the case of holocaust denier Ernest Zundel who openly promoted ethnic hate propaganda through his website.

        Despite the censorship of selected website content for the protection of citizens, some states have taken the extra step to censor content on websites that infringe on citizens’ right to freedom and communication. Countries which engage in the act impose a strong bias on the content which users search and only allow citizens access to websites that lean in favor to the bias of the government. This includes the restriction of website’s of the government’s party in power opposition in Thailand, and the restiction of access to minority religious websites in Pakistan. 

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However, China remains the world’s most infamous user of internet censorship, ranking the maximum of five stars by Reporters without Boarders and labeled as ‘very serious’. Web page censorship in China have ranged from new sources that contain ‘taboo’ national topics such as the 1989 protests at Tianneman Square, sites supporting the Tibet liberal movement and the teachings of the Dalai Lama,  and websites that contain obsenity and pornography. Web pages considered to contain any counter government bias information on national affairs such as that of BBC News are often banned, along with blogging websites such as MySpace, and region based ...

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