Whom to Protect and How?

Blendon, B., Benson, J., Brody, M.,Altman, D., Rosenbaum, M., Flournoy, R., Kim, M. (2001). Whom to protect and how? The public, the government, and the internet revolution. In P. De Palma (Ed.), Computers in society (pp. 8-11). Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill.
Unit 1, Article 2

Review by Kim Doyle

In this article, Blendon and associates address the impact the computer and internet revolution has had on American life and the difficulty the federal government has in responding to public requests for more oversight of the internet and specific content. This difficulty is due primarily to First Amendment rights and implications if content is regulated.

The rapid spread of technology has been striking. In the mid-90’s, at the early stage of the Internet revolution, less than one in five Americans had ever used the Internet. By 2001 (when this article was published), 92% percent of Americans under the age of 60 report having used a computer and 75% have used the Internet. The experiences over the past two decades have resulted in most Americans feeling very positive about the Internet and its perceived limitless possibilities. As reported in this article, over half of Americans believe the computer has given them more control over their lives. Additionally, Most Americans report being well served by the computer industry, including software companies and the Internet industry.

Despite these benefits, the Internet Revolution is leading to a broad range of concerns among the American public. These concerns include the possibility of danger to children through contact with strangers, the availability of pornography and the availability of instructions for making bombs and other weapons. Others report fearing a loss of privacy and unauthorized access to personal and confidential information. The authors of this article suggest that regardless of the benefits and the inevitable growth in internet usage, most Americans would support legislation resulting in more controls, specifically on content perceived as threatening and dangerous. Americans, says Brandon and associates, are more concerned about safety concerns than concerns regarding First Amendment Issues.

The government is “between a rock and a hard place”. An explosion of Internet growth is predicted to occur in the next decade and Americans will likely become more demanding of regulatory controls. The government, however, will find it very difficult to institute Internet controls given its globally pervasive use and accessibility.

(The article reviewed herewas first published in 2001 in the Brookings Review, Winter 2001, pp. 44-48. Survey results cited in this article come from several sources noted in this periodical.)

Reflection

I experience this conundrum on a regular basis. I have come to rely on Internet access in professional and personal contexts. I also have two teenage daughters who, through the Internet, have access to information that is threatening and highly inappropriate. While I attempt to monitor their usage of the Internet, there is a limit to the extent I can do this. This circumstance is not unlike that we’ve experienced with television viewing. TV programs are becoming more sexually explicit and show graphic details of violent situations. As a parent my efforts in addressing this have been limiting access, but more importantly to attempt to instill values that equip them to make good decisions for themselves. I would support legislation for more regulatory controls, but is it realistic to think the government can accomplish this? I don’t know. What I do know is that I can make choices for myself and be and teach my kids to make good choices as well. That is our basic right and responsibility.