Since its availability to consumers in the 1990s, the Internet has forever changed the way we can communicate with others. With technological advancements and an increase in the number of emerging countries, Internet accessibility will only increase over time. Such a possibility poses many problems, problems which were later brought to light by the September 11 attacks. With widespread use of the Internet, the means to do harm increase and for some, this vulnerability justifies censorship of Internet material intended to aid criminals/terrorists. Internet censorship is not a viable option for any government. By censoring the Internet, the government is violating the basic human rights of its citizens, it would become a costly endeavor, and it is a lost cause. This country violates its citizens' rights to freedom of expression and other basic human rights. Censorship allows the control of human expression and it would be logical that governments that fear revolts are those that favor them. China whose "government officials fear that as the number of Chinese homes with telephone lines increases from the current level of less than four percent, the state will become completely incapable of monitoring Internet whiz in residences” (CIA 1) is a perfect example. example of how censorship is just a ploy to control the flow of ideas. Unfortunately for Chinese authorities, Internet use has exploded, leading to a serious loss of credibility and control over the population. When the government lost control, it only strengthened its position in favor of censorship. Human Rights Watch states that China achieves this by "demanding that internet search companies and state media censor issues officially deemed 'sensitive'... middle of paper... the world to overthrow oppressive regimes." Even though there are risks to not censoring the Internet, they will always exist and the benefits humanity can gain from an uncensored Internet far outweigh these risks. Works Cited Anna Sthesia, . No. Internet. March 30, 2014. “Chinese media: more autonomous and more diverse – within certain limits.” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, June 19, 2013. Web. March 30, 2014. Pritchard, Justin. “Post-9/11 Patchy Data Masking Persists.” News day. August 22, 2011: np SIRS Issues Researcher. Internet. April 7, 2014. Roleff, Tamara L. “Current Issues: Civil Liberties.” Current Issues: Civil Liberties. 2009: researcher on np SIRS issues. Internet. April 7, 2014. Tor, . "Tor Project: Overview." . Np, & Web. April 4 2014. .