Need help to come up with points to argue either for or against this topic: The internet needs to be regulated in order to eliminate falsehoods that lead to harm (i.e., false claims regarding vaccinations).

For a debate, just needs to be a simple argument with points and statistics

Question

Need help to come up with points to argue either for or against this topic: The internet needs to be regulated in order to eliminate falsehoods that lead to harm (i.e., false claims regarding vaccinations).

For a debate, just needs to be a simple argument with points and statistics

zarkam21 · Answer

Example of falsehood : https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/claudiakoerner/anti-vaccine-peach-measles-new-york-propaganda-outbreak

zarkam21 · Answer

@Vocaloid

Vocaloid · Answer

well, do you have any leaning one way or the other? personally I think it's a good idea in theory but difficult to actually ensure that the organization responsible for censoring content is fair and objective in their evaluation

Vocaloid · Answer

@Shadow would you mind taking a look at this when you get a chance

zarkam21 · Answer

Hi! So I'm just trying to find sources to back up why it is good. Because I also think this is good

Vocaloid · Answer

the original prompt mentioned vaccinations, so you could research on how the spread of false information by the anti-vaccine movement has led to decreases in the vaccination rate, which poses a real life threat to herd immunity

Vocaloid · Answer

"fake news" articles that are made to advance an agenda rather than report what happens

Vocaloid · Answer

internet hoaxes that influence people to do stupid things (ex: the phone microwaving thing)

these are particularly bad when they target vulnerable people, ex: websites that say you can cure cancer with some bogus "natural" cure

Vocaloid · Answer

it would also help your argument if you can find an example where monitoring internet content has helped save people/improved people's lives, you'd have to do some research on this one

zarkam21 · Answer

This helped me ALOT! Thank you so much. I think I know where to go from here

tomzzz · Answer

For US constitutional law we allow bad or fake content because of the first amendment commonly refereed to as freedom speech.  Defining what is true or false is a very complex technological issue without an answer because truth evolves as we redefine things through both science and culture.  The opposite of freedom of speech is censorship, which is a tool for those in power to manipulate and influence.  For me it comes down to this question... What is the worse evil?