Rant number 87
The inspiration for this rant yet again was provided to me by BBC's news-beat. Fertile ground indeed it seems!
It was about a popular blogging site (not this one, I think it was tumblr?,) which has made a decision to filter certain subject matter on their website. Good on them I must say (although of course, someone has to protest.)
Which brings me swiftly round (although, admittedly once again not all that swiftly. It generally takes me at least 4 lines to get to the point of my rants - does that qualify me as some kind of waffler? Oh crap I'm a waffler...) to my point.
The kind of content that they are trying to filter - is blog content that suggests, condones and deals with negatively, the very fragile subjects of self harm, suicide and eating disorders.
People may kick out against this type of filtration and call it supposedly 'against their freedom of speech.' In truth though, everything you write online has the potential to affect someone; anyone.
Without trying to unfairly stereotype, this type of content is written mostly by teenagers, for teenagers. The thing is, what some write to vent their frustrations, others will read to increase there own. What if a girl or boy with an eating disorder comes across a blog which tells them that there is an easy way to get thinner by - say, making themselves sick. Most might think the information is ridiculous, but others may take it to hard. Its dangerous.
The thing is though - that a hundred thousand million (probably) websites exist out there where you can write anything, upload practically anything and where no-one would have the knowledge, resources or inclination to filter the information.
The internet has some dark, dark corners and its an organic beast, morphing like a virus to protect even its seediest inhabitants. Filtering some information in one place doesn't do anything. Somewhere else will come along. A special forum - possibly disguised for instance? Its not hard, and teenagers are smart when it comes to evasion.
My rants may be occasionally spiteful, often contrite and sarcastic - but I never write anything I think could hurt anyone! I wish that there was a way to make the rest like it.
Rant over.
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