Television and Technology Censorship to Protect Child Behavior

Television and technology censorship has elicited heated debates on who should control contents that TVs and other media convey to the public including children. Although protecting children is a responsibility of parents, many influential persons across the globe contend that societies and governments should have the final decision on what children need or need not watch or hear. They argue that developments in technology have exposed children to violent and sexually explicit contents at tender ages and parents do not know what they should do to safeguard their children from such harm. Therefore, monitoring what appears in television and media by the society or government will reduce parents' worry about their children being exposed to objectionable materials as such contents will be blocked before children access them. However, other people contend that monitoring information that appears in televisions and other media by society or government violates freedom of speech and that it is difficult to determine material that is bad enough to be censored. Resultantly, parents should be responsible for editing what their children watch because they know what is right and wrong for their children.

The major problem that people experience when a society monitors information on televisions and other media is the infringement of freedom of speech (Akdeniz 247). Using television and other media has increased significantly in the recent past. Reportedly, social media platforms are believed to contain various forms of information that a person may need (Akdeniz 248). Therefore, fears of violence and other sexually explicit content should not be used as the foundation to deny individuals the right to express themselves, as well as, their feelings. As such, it should not form the basis for monitoring or unwarranted censorship of various contents in televisions and other media. Further, through television and other media, it has been easy for business organizations to market their products both globally and locally. Similarly, because of the changing world where information is being conveyed through television and other media for rapid access by the people, censorship or monitoring may infringe the rights of people to know and contribute to issues of national importance (Yaraghi 2). Parents should take up the responsibility of determining what is wrong and right for their children. Therefore, with censoring what their children watch, parents will be able to control bad behaviors from their children. With society monitoring what appears on television and other media, freedom of speech continues to be violated. As such, the community or government should not have any mandate to monitor or censor what appears on television and other media because it cannot compel adults to watch or listen to information that is good for children.

The primary argument that most societies put forward to monitor contents that appear on televisions and other media is that such information is sexually explicit and violent (Akdeniz 248). Nonetheless, plans of society or government to monitor or censor what appears on social media and other platforms hardly offer solutions to child protection against sexually explicit and violent contents (Fredrickson 1). Most experts have proved that televisions and social media play an insignificant role in circulating child abuse content and cannot be censored merely or monitored by the society or government (Fredrickson 1). It is recommended that allowing parents to edit what their children watch is the most appropriate way of keeping children from harmful internet and television contents because parents understand individual needs and personality of their children and can modify their media their television and media exposure to such requirements. Further, it will allow parents to conduct media education and enable children to become selective, intelligent and critical media users.

The television and other media industries are businesses with many audiences and therefore should not be made accountable for morals that are conveyed or shown in different platforms. Similar to other company, their primary aim is not to babysit and teach their viewers about morals but rather to market their products and make a profit. Reports indicate that about 60% of children who watch violent contents in televisions and other media usually involve in several aggressive activities later in their lives (Grossberg 591). These reports further indicate that such violent behaviors are contributed by the negligence of parents to monitor or censor what their children watch. Therefore, parents should show their children morals and raise them to understand and differentiate what is right and wrong. When parents fail to instill such morals into their children as their responsibility, they should not apportion to media or expect the government or society to do that.

Conclusion

In conclusion, although television and technology have caused a myriad of challenges to children, the community should cease from monitoring what appears on TV and media more closely but instead allow parents to censor what their children watch. This is because monitoring the content violates freedom of speech and does not necessarily protect children from harm. Allowing parents to censor what their children watch is the most appropriate way of keeping infants from harmful contents. Further, parents clearly understand the unique needs and personality of their children and can modify tailor television and technological exposure to the needs of their children. The parents will also be able to conduct media education and enable children to become selective, intelligent and critical media users thus instilling good morals in them.

Works Cited

Akdeniz, Yaman. "Governing pornography and child pornography on the Internet: The UK approach." University of West Los Angeles Law Review, vol. 32, 2001, pp. 247-75.

Fredrickson, Caroline. "Why Government Should Not Police TV Violence and Indecency." The Christian Science Monitor, Washington, 6 Sept. 2007, www.csmonitor.com/2007/0906/p09s01-coop.html. Accessed 2 Mar. 2019.

Grossberg, Michael. "Does censorship protect children?" Federal Communications Law Journal, vol. 54, no. 3, 2002, pp. 591-597.

Yaraghi, Niam. "Regulating Free Speech on Social Media is Dangerous and Futile." Brookings, TechTank, 24 Sept. 2018, www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2018/09/21/regulating-free-speech-on-social-media-is-dangerous-and-futile/. Accessed 2 Mar. 2019.