Thesis: The United States government must stop trying to reduce privacy and censorship on the Internet because it limits free speech, creates distrust of the government, and wastes money. resources that would be better devoted to other types of law enforcement. . -The United States government must stop writing laws to reduce online privacy and give it the power to effectively censor the Internet. The creators of these proposed laws would try to say that they will allow the government to better protect itself against cyberattacks and preserve intellectual property. But what they don't say is that the bills lack some protections for privacy and civil liberties. These are rights that people in this country are beginning to take for granted, while on the other side of the world, people continue to give their lives in the hope of giving freedom to their children. For us to protect free speech and the right to privacy, the government must stop trying to pass laws that allow it to infringe on these rights under the guise of national security. The United States government must stop trying to reduce privacy and censorship on the Internet because it limits free speech, breeds distrust of government, and wastes resources that would be better spent devote to other types of law enforcement. As the largest store of information and communication, the Internet must be protected from censorship because it limits freedom of expression. The Internet is the key to freedom of expression because it allows people to share information with anyone, anywhere on the planet. It allows individuals to find and distribute information, not who owns the most printing presses. That's one of the reasons it's so dangerous... middle of paper ... making our own choices are key parts of American cultural identity; what one person considers offensive may not be objectionable at all to another. In the case of a regulated Internet, who will make the final decision on web content and its level of offensiveness? While there are certainly dangers lurking in the darkest corners of the Internet, the vast stores of accessible knowledge far outweigh them. Changing the functionality of the web could very likely make it more difficult to access educational materials in an effort to censor more controversial content. Creating a regulated internet would require a huge amount of manpower just for surveillance. Coupled with the amount of money that would have to be spent to create filters and sift through the almost infinite amount of information available, this would be staggering..