BYU INTERNET = BAD

Shifting across pages, everyone can find access to knowledge in which past generations could not even imagine. Surfing the entire world on an engine propelled by Google, it is only BYU students who run into detours and walls and must find a new route to their destination because their boundary, which is an internet firewall, will not let them pass. A research project is now postponed, internet scheduling are delayed, and now you will never know what those U of U fans said after the football game. While not as common, but most inconvenient, these examples are merely the backfire of the internet firewall’s most invasive purpose: to keeping people from accessing inappropriate or “time-wasting” material. A seemingly noble cause, the BYU internet firewall has no legitimate reason for blocking certain websites and its purposes as a blocker only hinder students at the university.

I am sure this is an issue that concerns more people than just me, for in our generation, you must not only be literate in reading, but also literate in computer technology. Computer technology has been integrated into our society. A new school subject aimed at preparing our youth for a computer based society. And being a major source of income for the economy it is no wonder why people everywhere have become experts at computers. This computer literacy is not limited to programs and software. It includes being able to bridle and navigate the internet. Students at BYU cannot access certain websites because of an internet filter, limiting them to their information resources. Certainly there are some who never find the BYU blocker a problem when doing research, or when scheduling a flight. Yet, that does not mean it will not affect them. The internet’s firewall goes beyond students and also affects faculty. Professors trying to find valuable videos which provide a visual aspect to their lecture cannot show it because the filter has blocked the website Youtube.com.

Shifting across pages, everyone can find access to knowledge in which past generations could only imagine. Surfing the entire world on an engine propelled by Google, it is only Brigham Young University students who run into detours, and must find a new route to their destination because their boundary, an internet firewall, will not let them pass. A research project is now postponed, internet payments are delayed, and now you will never know what those U of U fans said after the football game. While not as common (but most inconvenient), these are just a few of the unintended consequences from the internet firewall’s most prominent purpose: keeping people from accessing inappropriate or “time-wasting” material. A seemingly noble cause, the BYU internet firewall has no legitimate reason for blocking certain websites and its purposes as a blocker only hinder students at the university.

I am sure this is an issue that concerns more people than just me; in our generation, you must not only be literate in reading, but also literate in computer technology. Computer technology has been integrated into our society, becoming a new school subject aimed at preparing our youth for a computer based society, and being a major source of income for the economy, it is no wonder why people everywhere have become experts at computers. This computer literacy is not limited to programs and software, but includes being able to bridle and navigate the internet. Students at Brigham Young University cannot access certain websites because of an internet filter, limiting them to their information resources. Certainly there are some who never find the BYU blocker a problem when doing research, but that does not mean it will not affect them. The internet’s firewall goes beyond students and also affects faculty: Professors trying to find valuable videos, which provide a visual aspect to their lecture, cannot show students because the filter has blocked the website Youtube.com.