This is one of the big problems that most people have with anonymity, but I believe that the freedom of speech is important. If the government has the capability to shut down the scary stuff like child porn, it also has the ability to shut down important stuff like criticism.
These corners of the internet aren't pretty but they play an important role within our society.
It's not the child pornography that is important to society. It's the freedom of speech, and the security that speech has against regulation from the government. Tor is a place where a person can securely make any sort of criticism that they want, and that security is important.
An unfortunate (but unavoidable) side effect of that security is that child pornographers also receive the same security.
Comments
This is one of the big problems that most people have with anonymity, but I believe that the freedom of speech is important. If the government has the capability to shut down the scary stuff like child porn, it also has the ability to shut down important stuff like criticism.
These corners of the internet aren't pretty but they play an important role within our society.
I might have read your comment wrong but are you
a) comparing child pornography to political criticism
b) saying that it "play[s] an important role within our society".
Can you elaborate?
Sorry that's not how I meant to state it.
It's not the child pornography that is important to society. It's the freedom of speech, and the security that speech has against regulation from the government. Tor is a place where a person can securely make any sort of criticism that they want, and that security is important.
An unfortunate (but unavoidable) side effect of that security is that child pornographers also receive the same security.