Upmewhale Contest: Restricted & Unrestricted Internet - Freedom World

This post is in response to the contest, Upmewhale writing contest! Restricted & Unrestricted Internet - Freedom World, initiated by @upmewhale.

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I am from Pakistan, one of the Indian Subcontinent countries. Countries in this region of Asia have a long history of slavery (restrictions) and freedom fights. So, we have both these things, acceptance (to some level, believe it or not that's the truth, how many of our ancestors first realized the need to fight for the freedom) and fight against these restrictions, in our blood.

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We have had internet restrictions or censorship for many years but, fortunately, internet and social media has played a major role in the formation of current government in Pakistan, so the scene is changing, gradually.

There are normally two major types of internet restrictions/censorship...

1. On Moral/Ethical basis (For example, Porn sites are banned in several Islamic Countries)
2. Political/Governing basis (This is mostly to facilitate governing bodies in pushing their agendas, like it has been in China, if I am not wrong. Any Chinese citizen can tell the real situation though, my thoughts are based on news and media)

moral/ethical

Now a days, even a toddler (LOL, not literally) has mobile phone and internet access, so if a government restricts access to porn sites then I am with them. These sites must be prohibited for them, specially for coming out of age children.

I am in favor of sex education, but for that, proper channel should be used, there must be a guide or course in schools/colleges to teach them about this extra exciting period of their lives, but Porn sites ... A big fat "NO WAY".

(Though, now a days, children are more equipped & expert in using the internet then adults, they know all about proxies and VPNs, even then it is essential and adults' responsibility to take necessary measures in order to save them from going in the wrong directions in whatever way possible)

political/governing

This is one of the worst reasons to restrict access to not only of internet but to any thing. This is actually an effort to cage one's thought in boundaries, and any and all nations who face this type of restrictions are in danger of extinction, really I believe so, because they are left behind by other nations.

Governments block sites to maintain their voting, ratings and to be in power. People should be able to decide right and wrong on true grounds, and governments restrict sites that can make them decide fairly by bringing facts and figures.

IMO, this is worst than slavery.

privacy violation

Yes, there is another type of restriction and that is ... Privacy Violation.

Even though, Constitution of Pakistan is very in Privacy Rights...

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan enshrines the right to privacy as a fundamental right. Article 14(1) of the Constitution confirms that "[t]he dignity of man and, subject to law, the privacy of home, shall be inviolable."
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...up until 2017, Pakistan has been in Top 10 countries in Internet Privacy violations, but as I mentioned above, and I hope so from the bottom of my heart too, situation is gradually changing, and...

This isn't only the case in Pakistan and/or other developing countries, many of the developed countries, like USA, China, UK, have the similar or even more severe internet monitoring systems, you must have heard of PRISM, God's Eye, Project Tempora.

On the surface, it seems like the citizen of these countries are free from any restriction on their internet access, but is it really truly the case.

I do favor restrictions/censorship on moral and ethical basis, but I am strongly against any and all attempts to violate anyone's privacy, whatever good and ethical reasons they have behind them.

So, when it comes to privacy violations, it is simply UNACCEPTABLE.