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Internet Censorship
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Title
Instructor’s Name
Due Date
, 2
Internet Censorship
Technological developments in global networks have made it possible to create the
internet. The internet is a tool for distributing knowledge from multiple sources including
research, video logs (vlogs), weblogs (blogs), social media, etc., that manifest in written, audio,
and video formats. In contrast to 1995 when only 16 million users (0.4%) had access to the
internet across the globe, there are 5.5 billion users (69.0%) as of 2022 (Internet World Stats,
2022). The paradigm shift in internet access from institutional to individual levels allowed its
users to gain information quickly. In addition, the developments of smart devices increase the
personal convenience of accessing information on the internet. Even though the impact of the
internet is largely positive, the sociocultural implications have prompted reserved countries such
as Saudi Arabia to implement internet censorship.
Background to the Study
Internet censorship entails controlling and, at other times, suppressing what users can
view, publish, or access on the internet. The significant majority of actors implementing internet
censorship are governments across the globe. Among the reasons for implementing the internet,
censorship includes “securing intellectual property rights,” “protecting national security,”
“preserving cultural norms and religious values,” and “shielding children from pornography and
exploitation” (OpenNet Initiative, n.d.). Government actors use several methods to implement
internet censorship, including technical blocking (i.e., DNS tampering, IP blocking, keyword
filtering, and packet filtering), search results removal, takedown requests, and self-induced
censorship (OpenNet Initiative, n.d.; Terman, 2021). Each of these methods facilitates the
implementation of internet censorship in unique ways.
Internet Censorship
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Title
Instructor’s Name
Due Date
, 2
Internet Censorship
Technological developments in global networks have made it possible to create the
internet. The internet is a tool for distributing knowledge from multiple sources including
research, video logs (vlogs), weblogs (blogs), social media, etc., that manifest in written, audio,
and video formats. In contrast to 1995 when only 16 million users (0.4%) had access to the
internet across the globe, there are 5.5 billion users (69.0%) as of 2022 (Internet World Stats,
2022). The paradigm shift in internet access from institutional to individual levels allowed its
users to gain information quickly. In addition, the developments of smart devices increase the
personal convenience of accessing information on the internet. Even though the impact of the
internet is largely positive, the sociocultural implications have prompted reserved countries such
as Saudi Arabia to implement internet censorship.
Background to the Study
Internet censorship entails controlling and, at other times, suppressing what users can
view, publish, or access on the internet. The significant majority of actors implementing internet
censorship are governments across the globe. Among the reasons for implementing the internet,
censorship includes “securing intellectual property rights,” “protecting national security,”
“preserving cultural norms and religious values,” and “shielding children from pornography and
exploitation” (OpenNet Initiative, n.d.). Government actors use several methods to implement
internet censorship, including technical blocking (i.e., DNS tampering, IP blocking, keyword
filtering, and packet filtering), search results removal, takedown requests, and self-induced
censorship (OpenNet Initiative, n.d.; Terman, 2021). Each of these methods facilitates the
implementation of internet censorship in unique ways.
