If anyone can just read over my essay, and help me fill any gaps. And assist me in concluding this essay. It would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU :)
As citizens of the 21st century the media is something that is very powerful. The media can dictate how an average person lives his/her life. Surrounding the media are some big questions, and one of these issues is censorship. What is censorship? When you think of censorship, for many the first thought that arises is the disclaimer often shown before certain television shows or movies. In reality, disclaimers are just the tip of the iceberg. Censorship can be defined as an official way of regulating various forms of media that are available to the public. This occurs because they are regarded as explicit, inappropriate and/ or offensive to the public. For most Canadians it is a mutual feeling that it is the government`s role to protect us, especially the children from things that may affect the balance of societal norms. Meanwhile, there are some people that feel censorship is an infringement upon our freedom of speech and the government shouldn`t be the ones mandating what we can and cannot see. Regardless, censorship is something that is absolutely mandatory in Canada. It is essential that the government regulates and filters what society sees and hears through the media in order to protect us from information that will affect our youth, our cultures, and Canada as a nation.
Censorship is used in various forms of media and it allows the messages to be suitable and concise. The media is an influential mass communication tool intended to interact multiple people. Currently, the Canadian government decides what should be broadcasted and it is important that certain inappropriate messages filtered properly in order to protect the youth because children can be influenced easily. During a person's adolescence, the media can have one of the biggest impacts, so it is very important that the messages they get are positive and appropriate. For instance, a child who views programming with violence and swearing will reflect this through his behaviour and actions towards others. As these children grow older, they may or may not understand that violence and swearing is inappropriate and may incorporate this into their daily lifestyle choices. Studies show that kids who view violent content have a higher probability of showing aggressive behavior because they fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them if they do not strike first. Nowadays, the media is more powerful than ever and it is extremely important that it is filtered in order to shield our youth.
The media also has the ability to offend people of various groups and cultures. If it were not for censorship, people could freely show their hatred towards groups of people, which would create numerous uproars throughout society. In order to keep peace within our society censorship is required because it filters out things that may be offensive to certain viewers. Like the old saying goes "what you don't know, won't hurt you", and in this case it is completely true. For example after the 9/11 attacks, there have been numerous publications that show hatred or depict all Muslims as terrorists. This has created a stir among the Muslim populace, because now all Muslims that are moving into foreign societies are being labelled as terrorists and it seems to have become a negative stereotype against them. Although it is now censored by the government, this stereotype has already been established and it will be very difficult to change or erase. Censorship not only prohibits racial attacks against groups, but also enables people to live freely without being judged negatively.
Lastly, censorship is necessary in a country like Canada is because it is a multicultural nation and Canada's identity as a nation is a safe place, where children can grow up in a nurturing environment in which they are able to flourish. The media plays a huge role in this, because it provides entertainment for us and our kids. (STUCK HERE) HELP :(
