internet law essay

Submitted By orange674
Words: 674
Pages: 3

Since the internet became a huge phenomenon in the 1990’s, our nation has seen an upsurge of easily accessible violence, pornography, and hateful material. This type of potentially harmful material has forced our nation’s legislators to create laws pertinent to the internet, in an effort to protect people especially minors. As the internet and technology are ever changing, law makers are faced with new issues and challenges as each case arises. There is no historical precedents to recollect. The goal of this paper is to investigate what internet laws exist, what challenges lawmakers face, and answer the question: How do we, as a nation, regulate an ever changing product such as the internet?
I have chosen this topic because our world is becoming more reliant on the internet every day. Business is conducted over the internet. School is attended via the internet. Even our social lives are being operated through the internet by way of social media networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. This dependence on the internet has forced our society to adapt and create new ways to regulate the internet.
This research will supply a better understanding of what internet laws are already in effect in the United States, and which are in the process of becoming laws. Additionally, it will give a better understanding of what goes in creating these laws and the challenges faced when dealing with cyber issues. It will give a perception of the legal issues associated with the internet, including those associated with website creation and conducting business online.
Introduction
The cyber world has raised many question in the past fifteen years since its explosion into the lives of Americans. One main question is whether the First Amendment applies to the internet. Another question is who is in charge of making and enforcing laws pertaining to the internet? Who is liable for the obscene information found on the internet, that is easily accessible by minors?
The internet has done more than just grow, it has erupted. The values, morals and norms of the internet are constantly changing. This makes it difficult for those of the real world to apply its formal rules and regulations to the problems of the cyber world. Since the internet is an international system, the problems of the internet often cross state and national borders. It is almost impossible to enforce the laws of one state or nation on someone from a different state or nation. Local laws dissolve in the face of the internet, as it is a national system and all users have access to almost all