Time For U.S. Lawmakers to Regulate Online Speech?
If we don’t, other world governments may do it for us.
It may surprise some free speech absolutists that speech is already restricted in America in many important ways.
For example, two infamous how-to books — the so-called Big Book of Mischief and the Anarchist’s Cookbook — are severely restricted from being printed, published, or distributed in the United States under penalty of law.
With excellent reason.
The Big Book of Mischief and the Anarchist’s Cookbook are filled with explicit, step-by-step instructions on how-to subjects such as dirty bomb-making, industrial sabotage, and mass power-grid disruption.
Should someone set up a printing press and start cranking out copies of these books, they could expect a swift visit from government authorities, arrest, prosecution, and probably a lengthy stint in federal prison.
Anyone attempting to write and publish a similar book would soon find their right to free speech severely restricted in America.
Which, of course, is fine with all of us.
Neither curious 13-year-olds, nor mischievous teens, nor anyone else needs to access such instructions. Handbooks on crime aren’t a good idea by anyone’s estimation — except criminals.