Arguments Against Censorship

Even though censorship has occurred throughout history and is constantly, there has always been a similar reason for censoring others. Usually, censorship is used to not allow people to learn about other opinions than that of the ruling party. Governments or religious institutions are the most known parties that censor others because of books or other works that express views contrary to that of state or beliefs that seem threatening to their welfare (“Banned Books”). Some smaller authorities like adults ban works based off the inappropriateness for youth. Censorship is people trying to make others think one way, which is their way. They stop people from forming their own ideas that may differ from their own so they don’t lose their control …show more content…
People can be turned to a side or against a side with propaganda and censorship combined because they won’t know any better. People with power want to stop those that oppose their power. A new crisis with censorship is “hate speech,” which is whenever “anyone alleges that the expressions of others are insulting, offensive, or degrading, presumably those others could assert that the former's allegations are insulting, offensive, or degrading to them” (Laursen). People are calling for censorship of the words that they find inappropriate and classify it as hate just so it looks like it isn’t undermining freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is to allow people to express their ideas. We are free to not listen instead of making it illegal. The people with power only oppose censorship when it affects themselves, which is not often. Only people with power support antipiracy because they support censorship so they stay in power. Producers of copyrighted content want more money than they already have to only increase their power (“Stop Online Piracy Act”). They claim it gives less jobs to other people, but they could also take some from their own million dollar