January 25, 2012

“Do you think information on the ­internet should be free and open or should it be regulated by the government?”

“I just emailed our Congressman Rush Holt and senators regarding Wikipedia shutting down to protest SOPA [Stop Online Piracy Act] and PIPA [Protect IP Act]. I use Wikipedia all the time. The internet should be open; it gives us power.”
—Shachar Lovett, Princeton

“It depends; some information is not good and should not be known by kids or some people but information that is useful, like recipes and history, should be free. I use Google all the time for looking up information.”
—Eduardo Espino, Princeton

“I don’t think it should be regulated by the government. I think that the internet has given the space for people to voice opinions that they otherwise may not have been able to express, especially marginalized and disabled communities. I recognize dangers of piracy or somebody decimating information. I don’t think there is any benefit in strict regulation.”
—Logan Warner, Philadelphia

“Information on the internet should be free and open.”
—Natalie Burkman, Princeton (left) and Brigit Quinn-Gordon, Ewing

“I believe it has to do with sorting out information, which is an individual right, versus the public concern that it may harm people. One possible solution is to configure hardware that can filter out information that may be harmful to children. Parents need to be more involved in what their children are viewing. I think it is a combination of both individual right and public concern.”
—Ron Packard, Princeton

“People have to understand that what they see on the internet may have a certain spin to it. Not everything they see on the internet is necessarily true. I do not think the internet should be governmentally regulated.”
—Kathleen Groshong, Milltown