Derek Cummings CS408-2 Assignment 5

Hate And The Internet

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My Answers For Assignment 5:

1. How would you define "hate speech?"
   

   Hate speech can be defined as communication that consistsof hateful expressions and threatening ones ethnicity.

2. Would you advocate placing limits on free expression (as most European countries do) in order to deal with the problems posed by hate speech? If so, how would you define those limits?
   

   I think that hate speech can be monitored by ways other than Europeans limit freedom of speech, even if it is as simple as not allowing keyboards to type combinations that had hurtful slander or profanity.

3. Should we attempt to reach an international consensus on how to define hate speech and on the standards (if any) to be applied in dealing with it?
   

   I think it would be very difficult to obtain consensus on a vague definition when hate speech can define so many things. It can include different religons, cultures, with all different combinations of words to make each sentence more hurtful. We should deal with it in other ways by limiting the amount of viewers who can see hate speech.

4. Is censorship or filtering of hate group websites ever appropriate? If so, under what circumstances?
   

   If the goal of a website is solely for the exposure of hate crimes and to spread “hate speech” along with the ideals implied, it should be censored in all public schools and libraries. Beyond that point there should be an age confirmation for mature viewers if they choose to view this explicit material.

5. Should creators of hate-oriented Web sites be held responsible for actions of people (such as the 'lone wolves,' people who commit crimes of hatred without specific instructions) who view those sites and then commit hate crimes?
   

   I do not think the hate oriented website creators should be responsible for the actions of the irrational and in some cases psychotic viewers of their web site. Although they view these images they make individual decisions to carry out these horrific acts on a daily basis.

6. Would you advocate special restrictions on making hate-related material available to children via the Internet? (If so, what would you propose?)
   

   I think there should be stricter firewalls in schools and libraries, and any hate related website should require age confirmation or a user account to access. Children should not be exposed to this material at a young age because their brains are still developing and it can have a more profound impact than most people would think.

7. Should there be any distinction between what is legal online and what is legal offline?
   

   The legalities online should be exactly the same as offline. There should not exceptions because someone is anonymous, if crimes are posted on the internet it is the police jobs to investigate and find the source.

8. Should the standards that apply to hate-related material be different from the standards that apply to other objectionable material such as pornography?
   

   This question can be debated on but I think there should be age restrictions on viewing pornography. And I do not think should be able to access at their school or in any other public environment. The standards that apply to hate related material should be the same with pornography.