Book Censorship in the US
Book censorship is not a major issue in the United States today as it was in the past. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees freedoms of speech and press. However, obscenity and defamation are restricted in major media outlets by the government. The content of books is regulated by publishers, which generally have more liberal restrictions.
There are some entities in the United States that want to censor children’s books because of their somewhat controversial content. Some conservative Christian groups want to ban Harry Potter because of its positive portrayal of witchcraft and wizardry. Other groups have more legitimate objections to the obscene or profane contents of other books. Google Book Search gives children access to almost every book imaginable, which makes it harder for parents to regulate what their children read. However, the majority of books on Google Book Search either have a limited preview or no preview at all.
Google does not censor the books that are scanned or refuse to scan a book because of its contents. It might not scan a book because of copyright issues, or the book could be too difficult to scan. It is not in Google’s best interest to censor the material on Google Book Search. Google is inherently in the business of disseminating information, not limiting it.
Censorship in China
China is notorious for its pervasive censorship of books and the internet. The Chinese Constitution allows for freedom of speech and press, but it dictates that the people must defend “the security, honor, and interests of the motherland.” The government tightly regulates information that is published in books and online. Anyone who publishes anything inflammatory or deemed dangerous to state security can be prosecuted. |