Restrictions of Information Society

In Jo Twist’s (2005) article, “Controversy blights UN net summit,” she discusses what happened in a UN net summit. There was an assembly for a solution about information society in Tunisia, because poor countries do not have enough funding. The UN net summit announced a “Tunis Commitment” and “Tunis Agenda for the Information Society”. However, there are different opinions about freedom in cyberspace. The Chinese vice premier said some control was necessary, but the secretary general of International Telecommunication Union expressed the opposite point of view.

I think online restrictions are important for an information society, because it may be abused.

First of all, restrictions could be used to control online crime, which is increasing. There are many kinds of crime online. It is increasing more and more because we can contact with much information easily. We already have some serious problems, for example, many kinds of fraud, an infringement of copyright and sexual crime. We have to make a limit to control criminal act.

Secondly, restrictions can protect us from a large amount of fake information. People can make some fake information because it’s easy to make information online. Actually, there are many fake pictures, made with computers, and rumors. Some people make information to publish their thinking even though it’s not true. They think that people don’t know who made this information.

Thirdly, restrictions will help us control hacking. Internet hacking really can make big problems. Sometimes, companies do hacking for themselves, and some people do that for money or pride. Anyway, it’s very dangerous and serious. We should protect ourselves from hacking.

In conclusion, we need some online restrictions. Sometimes, bold acts can create development, but freedom always goes with responsibility and control. If we want freedom in cyberspace, we should make something to control ourselves. Ironically, it will protect our freedom.


Twist, J. (2005, November 18). Controversy blights UN net summit. BBC News. Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4450474.stm