Audrey Biggers CS 408-03 Assignment 6

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Assignment 6: Hate and the Internet

  1. I would define hate speech as publicly announcing any dislike or hatred for a group or a specific person.
  2. I am indifferent about setting limits on free expression, as I can see both sides to the argument. I feel as if limits would go against everything that our country stands for and it would put major restraints on society. I feel as if there should be light guidelines for free expression like, no harmful things said to specific people or groups for no reason. If someone steps outside those guidelines they should have repercussions, but they should still have the ability to do it - but they definitely should not be able to get away with doing so.
  3. Yes, there should be a universal definition of hate speech so it can be properly dealt with if they commit hate speech. Hate speech is very harmful to people and so unnecessary and it should not go unnoticed.
  4. That can be disobeying the free speech law but it definitely should be censored in proper settings like schools and businesses.
  5. Owners of those websites should not be held responsible. Even though they are putting forth that information they are not responsible for the actions of others. People are responsible for their own actions and their own actions only. Ultimately, they have the decision whether or not to commit a crime and a website can not be blamed for that. It may provoke the idea, but the actually action is based off the individual only.
  6. Yes, I would advocate restrictions against those websites especially for children. Children are developing and the environment they are in and the things that they are surrounded by affect how they grow up and learn and they should not have dangerous material like that available to them. It could be detrimental to their well-being and how they grow up and the morals they have.
  7. What is illegal is illegal. But, the only difference is; that online there is no way to tell whether that person is actually committing that specific crime. People should be able to post about whatever they want and unless there is cold hard proof to prove that this specific person is committing this crime, then no legal action can be taken against someone posting about something illegal.
  8. Hate speech material is different than other things like pornography. Hate speech is targeting a specific group or person and it can hurt them emotionally or provoke them to hurt themselves physically or other people which could cause a huge problem. Also, hate speech causes people to feel bad about themselves and threatened and no one should have to feel that way.