Research On The Protection And Restriction Of The Freedom Of Expression On Internet

As one of the greatest scientific inventions, Internet has influenced the world in every field, not only in the scientific field. When Internet was invented and developed quickly, as one of the citizens' basal rights and freedoms, the freedom of expression gained a new free market. The characteristics of high speed, user's independence, anonymity and mutual reaction of Internet has great effects on the exertion of the freedom of expression. However, nowadays in China, there are many restrictive factors for the exertion of the freedom of expression. In the face of the obvious restricts and hidden obstacles, the government has the responsibility of removing restricts and obstacles in order to ensure the citizens' freedom of expression. Though the freedom of expression has positive effects, it could also do harm to the legal rights and interests of the country, society and citizens if it is abused. So the freedom of expression in Internet should be restricted properly and necessarily. Only in this circumstance, the citizens could own the freedom of expression in Internet. This thesis is made up of the introduction, text and epilogue. And the text includes six chapters.Chapter 1 introduces the fundamental theory of freedom of expression. As one of the citizens' basal rights and freedoms, though it has different names or descriptions, freedom of expression is protected by the different countries' constitutions. This chapter mainly analyses the meaning and extension of freedom of expression, which can help us understand the conception of freedom of expression. The scholars have discussed a lot about the values and functions of freedom of expression. They list a lot of functions, such as perfection of humanity, exploring truth, promoting democracy, and avoiding social conflicts. But this chapter will discuss the values of freedom of expression based on the country, society and individual person.Chapter 2 discusses the Internet's influences on freedom of expression. Because of the invention and development of Internet, the freedom of expression gained a new market. And the characteristics of Internet have great influences and effects on freedom of expression. Chapter 3 analyses the restrictive factors of the exertion of the freedom of expression in Internet. Though the freedom of expression is protected by the constitution and law, in reality there are a lot of restrictive factors, such as the distemperedness of law, the repulsion of the traditional culture, the imbalance of the economic development, the hidden control of the information. These factors set up the obstacles for the freedom of expression in Internet.Chapter 4 describes the government's responsibilities on realizing the freedom of expression in Internet. Last chapter has listed the restrictive factors of the freedom of expression in Internet. And the government has the responsibility to remove the obstacles, provide conditions for the realization of freedom of expression in Internet. The realization of freedom of expression in Internet demands the government taking a lot of measures in different aspects.Chapter 5 discusses the present restrictions and administrations of the freedom of expression and the weakness of restrictions and administrations and gives the suggestions. Abusing freedom of expression will lead to the damages of the rights and interests of country, society and citizens. So we must restrict the expression in Internet properly and necessarily. And we should take a cautious attitude. So the citizens' freedom of expression in Internet can be realized and protected.