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Block (Internet)

The Internet allows its users to explore with some restrictions. The Block (Internet) feature enables people to filter out what they can and cannot see while browsing online. There are many uses to blocking, both positive and negative. Some positive aspects include child restrictions to inappropriate websites, with the use of the Children's Internet Protection Act or Internet filtering, and protection from an online predator. Some negative aspects include blocking the Internet due to censorship in countries, such as China, Egypt, and Libya.

Positive Aspects

Block (Internet) can assist in many ways that can protect people, such as the protection from an online predator, restrictions to unacceptable websites for children, and also the blocking feature on social media that can defend one from cyberbullying.

Protection from Online Predators

Online predators exist everywhere on the Internet and they are a threat to children of any age or gender. They can easily gain access to a child's information through their social media profiles, or messaging online. In order to block these predators, parents can install parental control softwares that can block harmful content while their children browse online, or while they participate in forums or social media.

Restrictions to Inappropriate Websites

With the use of parental control softwares, parents and even teachers or principals can help protect children from gaining access to inappropriate websites that may lead to viruses, sexual content, or online predators. This is described through the Children's Internet Protection Act (or CIPA), and can also be assisted by Internet filtering.

Children's Internet Protection Act

The Children's Internet Protection Act or CIPA was implemented in 2000 to address the anxieties about children's access to harmful or crude content over the Internet. This act protects children from accessing indecent content at school or at the library. The policy also states that the school or library must acknowledge that they are enforcing this policy and enforce the use of this blocking technology during the use of the computer by a minor. There are certain guidelines and rules that schools and libraries must follow when enforcing CIPA, and those include:

• Ensuring the safety of minors while using e-mail, a chat room, or other forms of social media or electronic communication
• Protection from unauthorized access such as hacking, or other illegal activities while online
• Protecting minors from inappropriate activities on the Internet, such as disclosing personal information online to strangers

With the use of CIPA, children can be blocked from illegal actives, harmful images, and online predators while they browse on their own while on the Internet.

Internet Filtering

Internet Filtering is another way to help block obscene images or actions on the Internet to protect children and minors. These filters help keep children off of inappropriate sites. Although blocking the Internet may seem as if it is Internet censorship, in reality, it is far from the case. Filtering websites from children is not necessarily censorship, considering that Internet filtering does not forbid the information from being online or posted. Instead, it is not allowing the child or minor to access this information, and keeps it out of arm's reach. Although Internet filtering can be helpful at most times, it may also filter out important information. Internet filters use key word scanning, and certain words may get blocked out due to inappropriateness. For example, children may not be aware of breast cancer, simply due to the word 'breast' in their search. Internet filtering has its pros and cons, but it is mostly put to good use when it comes to children and minors using the Internet.

Social Media

Social media is another reason as to why blocking on the Internet is crucial. Social networking sites play important roles in many people's lives, and over 60% of 13-17 year olds have at least one social media profile online. In many ways, social media is an excellent source of getting in touch with family and friends, or in children or minors' cases, it is easy and accessible when it comes to getting together for school assignments or chatting online with friends. When it comes to social networking and children and minors, cyberbullying may also be a factor. Cyberbullying is when a person is being bullied or harassed by another over the Internet, and it can make a person feel helpless and alone. There are certain steps that a person may take to overcome cyberbullying, but the use of blocking features on social networking sites can help protect one from harmful threats on the Internet. The National Crime Prevention Council states that the person being cyberbullied should cut the person off right away, and this includes blocking them off of all social media sites.

Facebook

Facebook, a popular social networking site, has millions of users, and 7.5 million of these users are children and minors, and 5 million of them are under the age of 10 This leaves lots of room for cyberbullying for kids on Facebook. There is an option on Facebook to block certain users and friends, however, some aspects do not get blocked entirely. When a person blocks somebody else on Facebook, this means that the person that is blocked can no longer view the person's online content on their timeline or their profile. Most of the time, the user that is blocked is prevented from contacting the person that has blocked them. However, they can still interact through third party applications such as games on Facebook. Facebook states that people should keep in mind that blocking someone may not prevent them from all interactions, such as in apps or groups. Aside from these minor setbacks, people can still roam safely on Facebook without having to see their cyberbully on their timelines, or worry about getting threatening messages through the use of blocking them.

Negative Aspects

Internet Censorship

There are many countries that do not have free access to the Internet. Some countries have blocked the Internet from being used for posting content online, social networking, and many other uses. Internet censorship is when certain parts of the Internet are suppressed and there are limits to what can be accessed. This is made possible by governments or private organizations that control the Internet due to coercion or panic of other legal consequences.

Internet Censorship in China

China has suffered under Internet censorship for a while, and the Chinese government has held on tight to both traditional and new media to avoid possible rebellion of its authority. The Chinese constitution allows its people to free speech and press, however content that they post is highly monitored to ensure political acceptability of their content. A lot of websites from other parts of the world are blocked, such as Wikipedia and some parts of Google, such as Gmail. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, are also blocked from Chinese residents.

Internet Censorship in Other Countries

A lot of countries in the Middle East are also blocked from viewing the Internet or certain types of media. Iran was number 7 on the list of 10 Most Censored Countries, which was one above China. During a presidential election in Iran in 2009, one of the candidates, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had won but was accused of winning by fraud. This caused backlash on Twitter and other social media sites, that resulted in to weeks long of riots. Twitter and YouTube had kept people updated by sharing posts and videos of the turmoil. This then caused strict access to Twitter, and other social media sites were blocked to the people that lived in Iran. Egypt and Libya are also countries with blocked access to media. After a revolt caused by the U.S. Ambassador of Tunisia's words about the Tunisian's President being compared to the mafia who ran Tunisian's economy, the Internet was blocked to all users in Egypt and Libya. Access to Facebook was cut off as people began to protest in the Libyan capital. In Egypt, the Internet was shut off for five days, and Egypt also disrupted text messaging and BlackBerry messaging services.