Terrorist/Bomb Making Material

on the Internet
Should it be Available?

Members: Censorship Group

Kevin Wyler
January Tavel
Christina Huynh
Andrea Swift

Censorship Issues in Historic and

Modern Times

Censorship and the

First Amendment
Censorship violates the concepts of freedom
of expression
Printer John Zenger, publisher of the New
York Weekly journal
-most famous case
-trial created an American cultural
sentiment, which opposed this kind of
government censorship

Early Years vs Now

Early Years
1790, the First Amendment
of the Constitution is
formed
-was written vaguely
-Supreme Court has
interpreted it s meaning
on a case-by-case basis
-What is the right?
1) to say or publish what they wish
2) it is the protection of the publics
right to know, or societys right to be
informed (Pember 42)
-there are limitations

Now
television, radio, internet
exist
Sometimes, censorship is
influenced by the kind of
medium the message is
transmitted (Pember 120)
Issues with Internet are:
sexually explicit,
pornographic and obscene
or violent content, hate
speech, and terrorist speech,
etc

Legislation and Terrorist Speech

Issues
The Internet and other interactive computer
services offer a forum for a true diversity of
political discourse, unique opportunities for
cultural development, and myriad avenues for
intellectual activity
(Title II of the Communications Act of 1934)
*the writers of this piece of legislation probably had
no idea that obtaining knowledge of how to make a
bomb would be a part of that intellectual acitvity

Introduction
We will explore the terrorist speech on the
Internet, related legislation and government
activity, and the arguments for and against
censorship of terrorist speech online.
For the purposes of our discussion of
censorship, it will be important to consider
terrorism in the information and
communication context only.

EPIC
The Electronic Privacy Information Centre
opposes the Communications Decency Act,
which was adopted by the Senate
Commerce Committee on March 24, 1995.
Does limiting the information that one ca
attain on the internet invade their privacy?
They believe that it is unconstitutional
restriction on free expression, personal
privacy, and intellectual freedom.

Oklahoma City Bombing

2 Amendments
The Violent and Repeat
Juvenile Offender
Accountability and
Rehabilitation Act of 1999
-Passed by the Senate on
May 20, 1999
-Requires Internet Service
Providers to provide
residential customers with
computer software or other
filtering or blocking system
that allows the customer to
prevent access of minors to
material on the Internet

Criminal Prohibition on
Distributing of certain
Information relating to
Explosives, Destructive
Devices,and Weapons of
Mass Destruction
-makes it a crime to teach
or demonstrate the making
of an explosive device on
the Internet

The Violent and Repeat Juvenile

Offender Accountability and
Rehabilitation Act of 1999
Passed by the Senate on May 20, 1999
Requires Internet Service Providers to
provide residential customers with
computer software or other filtering or
blocking system that allows the customer to
prevent access of minors to material on the
Internet

Pro-censorship Argument
FBIs definition of terrorism= the unlawful
use of force or violence against persons or
property to intimidate or coerce a
government, the civilian population, or any
segment thereof,in furtherance of political
or social objectives. (whether offline or
online)

Why is information about Bombs

available?

Senator Dianne Feinsteins View

Believes 1st Amendment protections should not be
extending to the kind of information that is easily
available on the Internet and teaches people how
to build bombs that kill
According to her the government should have the
right to prevent people from endangering public
safety, and to protect national security by
restricting access to such information

2 Supreme Court
Decisions
1993, World Trade Center
1996, Paladian
bombing
Enterprises, INC
-testimony before
-was cited in the
Congress in Feb. 2000,
FBI Director Louis Freech
wrongful death suit for
said convicted terrorist
publishing Hit Man:
Ramzi Yousef- traded
A Technical Manual
detailed plans to destroy
for Independent
United States airliners
with other terrorist over
Contractors
the Internet

The Violent and Repeat Juvenile

Offender Accountability and
Rehabilitation Act of 1999
Passed by the Senate on May 20, 1999
Requires Internet Service Providers to
provide residential customers with
computer software or other filtering or
blocking system that allows the customer to
prevent access of minors to material on the
Internet

Anti-censorship Argument
Congress shall make no law abridging
the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of
grievances (US Constitution)

Pros & Cons

Constitutions framers believed that
freedom of inquiry and liberty of expression
were the hallmarks of a democratic society

March 29, 2001

The 9th US Court of Appeals overturned an Oregon
courts ruling that order anti-abortion activists who
created a website, which provides the names of
addresses of abortion doctors to pay $107 million
in damages to Planned Parenthood and four doctors
-critics =domestic terrorism and deadly threats
-anti-abortionists argue= nothing in their materials
specifically advocated violence against abortion
providers

Conclusion
Ultimately, censorship of any kind is a complex
issue in which consideration of both individual
First Amendment rights and national interests
must be considered. We can see by examining the
court decisions regarding terrorist speech online
and offline, that the circumstances of each case
play a role in determining the courts ruling and
that decisions specifically applying to Internet
issues have yet to be set.