I was in second grade when Frozen was out, and I was completely hooked. I’d go on my iPad and look up Frozen on YouTube. I’d watch video after video, anxious for more snippets from my favorite film. Until one video showed Jack Frost murdering Elsa. It terrified me so much that I couldn’t sleep for days. I was seven years old, and watching my favorite Disney princess die scared me. So the question remains; should the Internet be censored for younger users?

Coming across a page that says “This page can’t be found” is because of censorship. Internet censorship occurs when regulators restrict what you can see on the internet. It can be put in place by parents and schools to make sure you’re not viewing something inappropriate. There is so much dangerous stuff on the internet, such as racism, misogyny and pornography, to name just a few risky search results a child should not be exposed to. Margi Doshi from Student Center poses the point that “However, after thinking twice, I realized it is unreasonable to censor the internet. Will kids actually benefit from this? I believe it would be a violation of free speech. The internet is a platform where people can share their lives—the good and the bad—and inappropriate content will always be there, no matter what.” 

These censorship rules, in my opinion, should not be in existence. It violates the first amendment’s prohibition against censorship. It’s annoying when you’re writing an essay or an article for school and want to visit a website that won’t open because you’re using the school WiFi. For example, when conducting research for my paper, the school prohibited access to websites discussing whether the internet should be regulated. Ironic. 

Many apps and websites have already “childproofed” their sites. Youtube for instance came out with YouTube Kids in 2015. Streaming sites and apps make you put in your birthday in order to watch shows appropriate for your age. Overall the question still remains:should the Internet be censored for younger users.