Don't use the word "war" and remove materials about the operation in Ukraine based on non-Ukrainian, official sources, Roskomnadzor, Russia's state media and Internet regulator, has ordered independent media outlets. Public and private censorship on the Internet works well. Is restricting freedom of speech always wrong?

What is Internet censorship?

What is censorship? Simply put, it is the control and restriction of information. We usually associate censorship with the state prohibiting the publication of facts that are inconvenient to the rulers.

Nevertheless, more and more often the heads of major technology platforms are accused of censorship: Google, Facebook and Twitter.

Censorship in the media - The restriction of freedom of expression and belief has reached a new level with the progressive digitization. Internet censorship has entered the scene. Not only political censorship and not only in China. Private censorship on the Internet, such as censorship of publications on social media, is no less important.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; This right includes the freedom to hold opinions and to seek, receive and impart information and views through any media and regardless of frontiers, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

However, a beautiful declaration often remains an empty slogan. The Internet was supposed to be a place where everyone could freely express their thoughts and beliefs. However, this has not happened. Internet censorship works well. Developments in technology, such as artificial intelligence, are making it more and more effective at blocking content.

Internet censorship - what is it about?

What is Internet censorship? State censorship of the Internet is:

• technical restriction of access to the Internet (complete blocking of access or selected sites);
• penalties for using services or websites, or distribution of specific content;
• creating barriers (e.g., legal or financial) restricting access to the www;
• illegal activities, such as hacking into websites and/or removing content.

The state can censor information preventively (before publication) or after the fact (by punishing people who have published, for example, news critical of the government on the Internet). In practice, censorship on the Internet is full of faces. It is usually used for the greater good, in particular:

• protection of the weak (for example, children in front of photos or videos of violence);
• protection of victims (for example, avoid publishing images of victims of crime or tragic events);
• guaranteeing safety state or system (e.g., censorship imposed by the Chinese Communist Party);
• compliance with the rules, adopted by the owners of major social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (for example, blocking the account of US President Donald Trump).

We can also easily find examples of actions that border on censorship. For example, IT departments block access to certain websites on employees' work computers. Parents have a choice - there are countless programs that can be installed on children's smartphones and block certain websites (Internet censorship in schools and at home).

Let's see what materials are censored online and why.

What material is censored on the Internet?

The most censored materials on the Internet include:

• violenceFor example, photographs and films of military operations and riots;
• pornographyFor example, publishing photos/videos with erotic content on YouTube;
• fake news - any type of content containing lies and manipulative messages;
• hate speech, For example, racist posts and content shared on social media;
• materials criticizing the actions of the authorities, For example, showing the bombing of Ukrainian cities by the Russian army.

Which countries censor the Internet? State censorship of the Internet

Access to online content is mostly blocked in non-democratic and repressive countries. The list of countries with the most censorship was prepared in 2019 by the Committee to Protect Journalists:

1. Eritrea
2. North Korea
3. Turkmenistan
4. Saudi Arabia
5. China
6. Vietnam
7. Iran
8. Equatorial Guinea
9. Belarus
10. Cuba

Authorities in these countries use traditional methods (e.g., intimidation of journalists), but they also readily resort to digital censorship.

Threats of censorship on the Internet

What are the consequences of blocking content on the Internet? Are publishers being persecuted? On the list of consequences:

• lack of user access to the full range of information;
• misleading them about political and economic events;
• violation of democratic principles (voters cannot vote fairly without full information);
• manipulation of public opinion by the rulers.

Consistently applied state censorship gives citizens a distorted view of the world. Many are beginning to see censorship as extremely positive. For example, 26 percent of Russians believe that media censorship is absolutely necessary.

Censorship of social networks and freedom of speech

Until a few years ago, it was governments that most often censored the Internet. However, increasingly, large digital companies such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter are being blamed for censorship. The most high-profile example is the blocking of Donald Trump, former US President, on Twitter.

Copyright and censorship

Some non-governmental organizations and institutions believe that copyright issues may be a cover for censorship on the Internet. This includes, for example, filtering the Internet in search of pirated materials. This requirement is set out in one of the European Union's directives (2019/790 on copyright and related rights in the digital single market).

The benefits of internet censorship - when it can be justified

Sometimes Internet censorship is applauded by the majority of the public. This is the case of content that is a manifestation of psychological violence:

• creating fake accounts to ridicule or attack other people/groups/minorities;
• defaming other people on forums and social networks;
• use of profanity;
• using altered photos/videos with the intent to harm others.

Fighting the haters is not enough. Russia's attack on Ukraine brought examples of online censorship that many considered appropriate: blocking access to Russian propaganda websites (Sputnik, RT TV) and their Facebook pages, and removing mobile apps from the Google Play store. Thus, "noble" censorship limited the scope of disinformation practiced by Russia.