What legal issues arise through this new government policy? What, if any, laws are compromised? Broken?
Google censorship implies to the omission or rather removal of specific information from its services or its subsidiary institutions that incorporate YouTube, so as to comply with legal demands, organizational policies as well as various government censorship laws. The fact is that the censorship of Google varies between nations and at the same time ranges from speeches to advertisements. A good number of governments including the government of China came into an agreement with Google to censor what they publish. In the United States, the new government policy of censoring information will lead to numerous legal issues. It is true that in the United States, Google censorship incorporates the suppression of public communication or rather a speech and this raises a constitutional issue of ‘freedom of speech’ which is always protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Since its enrichment, critical freedom interpretation has greatly varied. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court in California 1973 found out that the First Amendment’s freedom of speech does not tackle information that is obscene that need to be censored. The fact is that the First Amendment protects individuals against the imposed law of censorship. It is true that this Amendment does not protect the nation against corporate censorship. In 2018 Press Freedom Index, the United States was ranked 45th out of 180 countries in the world by the Reporters Without Borders Analysts. Therefore, implementing the new government policy pertaining to the concept of Google Censorship would result in Freedom of Speech legal issue as it goes against the United States’ First Amendment. Also, implementing the idea of Google Censorship in the United States would lead to the legal issue pertaining to the concept of democracy. The fact is that Google Censorship would undermine the United States’ democracy since the public would not be in a position to make informed decisions regarding the government as it will be withheld and at the same time access specific information. This implies that Google Censorship would shelter citizens from the world of reality. The organization of Google comprises of laws that govern it. Implementing Google Censorship in the United States implies that the company of Google will have to compromise and break its governing policies that ensure and at the same time enhances personal autonomy, democracy and freedom of speech. Google Censorship will interfere with the profile of the organization as clients will lose trust in it.
What ethical issues arise? Are freedoms, rights, being infringed upon? If so, which ones?
It is true that Google Censorship can be extremely useful when it comes to preventing children from accessing content that is inappropriate as well as intruders obtaining sensitive information. Google Censorship also protects individuals from violence and terrorism. Implementing such a concept will undoubtedly lead to ethical issues in the nation of the United States. Google Censorship always result in a human right violation. As per the ethical issues, internet censorship is one way of oppressing the citizens. The assertion mentioned above is true since in most cases, Google Censorship infringes the rights of the people particularly freedom of speech. As per the United States’ First Amendment law, each citizen has got the right to freedom of speech or rather the right to express his or her idea any place and any time. The fact is censorship silences people. The government selects ideas to be released and ideas to be blocked in the network system. Silencing people from practicing democracy is one way of oppressing the citizens. Google Censoring implies that personal blogs with comments concerning violence, sex as well as anti-government will be deleted with immediate effect. Therefore, sheltering individuals from reality, democracy and at the same time freedom of speech is unethical as it is one way of oppressing the citizens.
How would this affect businesses in the U.S.A.? How would this policy affect the business or profitability of Google and other search engine businesses?
Google Censorship will profoundly affect businesses in the United States. The fact is that with censorship, access to digital innovation and newer technology will be restricted making the local economies in the United States to fall behind in learning from blueprints that existed in the past and the ones that can be effectively be replicated to benefit medium and small businesses. Also, due to the restricted free access to the internet as well as a limited introduction to newer technological innovations, local American companies would lack the incentive to innovate and at the same time invest in development and research. It is true that due to censorship, the local industries will develop at a slower pace as compared to other economies that are way ahead in their technological progress. Also, businesses that are big would be wearier in investing big in environments that encourage technical censorship as this would negatively impact their daily operations. Therefore, it is clear that censorship would lower profits to a good number of businesses. Also, individuals would lose trust in Google due to restricted information access, and in the long run, Google would lose its potential clients and eventually its profits would lower. On the other hand, people would opt for other search engines, shift to them and in the long run, these other search engines will increase their users and profits.
How would this affect the legal system, the court system, here in the U.S.A.?
Implementing the concept of Google Censorship in the United States will imply that the court system will be weak as it will not be able to execute its ruling without being interfered by the external forces. The fact is that both the legal system and the court system will be politicized. The legal system would not be able to implement laws without being filtered. The government would be in a position to select rules to be enforced and not the legal system council. Also, the court system and the legal system would not be in a position to access more information and do more research pertaining to their line of work to execute relevant and updated rulings and laws. Since Google Censorship is a way of oppressing the citizens, the court system or the legal system in the United States have implemented laws to protect its citizens. The strong protections for expression and at the same time freedom of speech against state, federal and local government censorship are fundamentally rooted in the United States’ Constitution of First Amendment. It is true that the protection extends to the internet.
What would your reaction be to the U.S.?
The fact is that the company of Google is exceptionally value-driven organization. The culture within the organization ensures that services are provided based on the concept of transparency. It is true that Google enhances freedom of speech, democracy, as well as personal autonomy in its daily activities. Therefore, it would be extremely hypocritical for the organization to work with the United States’ offer of implementing the concept of censorship. Accepting this offer implies that the company of Google does not care for the rights of its users. Also, allowing the proposal will portray the institution of Google as money and profit oriented rather than being client and business oriented. Therefore, Google should stick to its culture and values that have seen it grow to the behemoth that incorporates freedom of speech and democracy despite the influence of the government of the United States. The organization ought to maintain its standards and at the same time its high profile to its clients to keep its potential users.
What would you propose as a compromise to make sure you are considering the Government’s need for Information and the public’s rights?
The organization of Google should propose the code of ethics as a weapon for a compromise. The code of ethics requires the company to showcase integrity, professional competence, objectivity, and professional behavior. The organization should not accept an offer that oppresses its users. Otherwise, the core values of the company enhance freedom of speech as well as democracy yet censorship requires the organization to operate against its values. Google and the government of the United States should not compromise the rights of the public. Also, ethical companies have the capabilities of retaining their employees, make more profits and earn loyalty and respect from the public. Therefore, Google should stick with a code of ethics to come into an agreement with the United States.