Nothing is Worse Than Censorship

China is seeking to internationally change protocols that would allow them greater control of the web.

Of course they say this is for national security reasons but we all know this is heading toward more censorship. Russia is on board because, well, it sounds good to them.

The internet, at least to me, has always been about the attempt (maybe not the full reality) that ideas and information should be freely exchanged. I believe that the free flow of information, while it may cause some schisms, is essentially critical to a strong culture.

So how do we deal with information in our own company?

I certainly will agree that not everyone needs to know everything but that is far different from limiting information and censoring ideas, discussion etc.

And censorship doesn’t necessarily come from outright policy. It may come from simple intimidation internally. For example, a boss might react so violently to an idea that they embarrass and put down the team member rendering the idea. It’s a fat chance that the employee will ever bring that up again.

I suppose on a less “highbrow” note, I truly hate censorship because it is simultaneously bullying and cowardice.

You bully people by telling them what they “can’t” say and you do this because you are a pathetic frightened child that can’t handle honest opinion or different ideas. It is the very worst of what we can be and runs counter to the idea that each person matters. I don’t care how tough the ideas, nothing is worse than censorship.

So next time you even smell the presence or idea of censorship in your company or someone else’s (or in our society) maybe you can think of the twin concepts of bullying and cowardice that drive censorship and do something about it.