• Stemming political dissent in China
• Curtailing bloggers' rights in Egypt
• Preserving community standards in Europe
• Walking the constitutional tightrope in the U.S.
  • Web censorship in the U.S.
  • Corporate & localized censorship
  • Problems with censorship
  • Influence of U.S. censorship policies abroad
  • The future of web censorship in the U.S.

The Future of Web Censorship in the U.S.

Lobbying efforts by interests groups like the film and music industries will no doubt continue to push for censorship policies that favor restrictions on the dissemination of copyrighted works. Meanwhile, internet decency advocates will continue to favor restrictions on offensive and obscene material. Though both of these groups would tolerate some undue residual censorship rather than compromise on these points, the interests of the average internet user are generally well-represented in the long run. In the US, advocacy groups for internet freedom are among the largest and most organized, vocal, and capable of any nation. Internet use is widespread, and, as such, the general population is better informed of the stakes of any legislation governing the flow of information on the internet. Even if action is taken against restrictive internet policies only after they are implemented (as is often the case), the political forum remains open and responsive.