Censor: regulating the digital environment is difficult and challenging Essay

Bill Hastings, the chief censor, has set forth to propose changes and modifications on the current law that regulates access to and content of video games and movies being marketed and shown to the public. Hastings went forward to ask for the support of Richard Worth, the minister of Internal Affairs in order to expand the coverage and implementation of regulation laws on video games and movies. The decision and advocacy of Hastings to modify laws on regulations of digital contents were based on his belief that current laws are superseded and do not apply to the changing dynamics of digital content. Hastings has acknowledged the exponential development of technology and digital content stating that their continuing advancement should be the same reason why regulation laws should also be adjusted. The thoughts and ideas presented by Hastings relate to the issues of evaluating and controlling technology and digital content. It is true the continuous development of technology makes it difficult to implement laws that evaluate and regulate them. With the passage of time, technology and digital content changes and transforms straying away from the authority and influence of laws that are rigid and inflexible. For these reasons, with the growth and expansion of technology, laws should also be constantly evaluated and adjusted in order for judicial branches and institutions to strictly implement sound regulations consistently and appropriately. This issue is worthy of society’s attention because it relates to the kind of digital content that the public is able to access. With various issues dug up on the certain outcomes of unregulated technology, such as pornography, piracy, adaptation of violent tendencies, exploitation, harassment, etc., society must be made aware of the need for the establishment and implementation or proper regulation laws. NZPA. (2009). Censor Wants to Regulate Online Games. Retrieved 18 Jul 2009, from Television New Zealand Limited. Website: http://tvnz. co. nz/technology-news/censor-wants-regulate-online-games-2465707 A Failure: The Vulnerability of Computer Technology to Hacking Kilgannon and Cohen, correspondents for the New York Times, have covered a Cyberwar games at West Point in New York. Among the contenders were the brilliant computer science and information technology students from various intelligence and security groups and institutions including West Point, the Merchant Marine, Naval Postgraduate School, Air Force Institute of Technology, and so on. The objective of the game was to counteract the cyber threats and challenges from the National Security Agency. Ostensibly, the aforementioned agencies decided to conduct a Cyberwar game as a means to increase their awareness and vigilance towards hacking. In addition, it was the Agency and Defense Department’s scheme in order to identify the most knowledgeable and skilled students and individuals from aforementioned security and intelligence groups and recruit them to boost the resources for national security. The strong campaign of the National Security Agency and Defense Department to go to great lengths in order to increase awareness and preparedness against hacking is a glaring evidence of the risks and threats involved in utilizing computer technology to secure national intelligence and safety. As stated by Kilgannon and Cohen (2009), the game was â€Å"Part of the Pentagon’s effort to increase the military’s capabilities. † The practices and precautions taken by the security, intelligence, and defense agencies in the United States only mean that the pitfalls of computer technology are imminent. The news may be considered a warning and reminder to society about the risks, threats, drawbacks, and problems involved with computer technology. It is a caution against the recording of personal information online since the vulnerability of computer technology to hacking makes it and the Internet unsafe mediums for communication. Kilhannon, C. and Cohen, N. (2009). Cadets Trade the Trenches for Firewalls. Retrieved 18 Jul 2009, from The New York Times Company. Website: http://www. nytimes. com/2009/05/11/technology/11cybergames. html? _r=1 Computer Technology Fails to Secure Cyberspace from Breaches In January, the National Security Agency has revealed a list containing numerous erroneous codes and sequences that would pave the way for security breaches. According to the Agency, there are various possibilities that would lead to security breaches and one of them is leaving systems vulnerable to external attacks and interventions. As the Chief Technology Officer from Veracode, Chris Wysopal said that the softwares being installed in computers should be thoroughly checked and assessed taking note of the existence of the codes and sequences written on the list. Prior to the reproduction of the softwares for computers, the codes and sequences, that proves to be dangers to the security of the system should be cancelled out. Just as the Cyberwar games conducted at West Point imply the vulnerability of computer technology to hacking, the existence and identification of dangerous codes that become the source of security breaches prove the precarious nature of the computer as a system. Apparently, the installation of security applications or softwares with protective features are not adequate in order to ensure that the information being sent and received by users are secure and that their privacy is valued and protected. The inability of computer technology to ensure safety and security is a huge error and failure. With the exponential advancement of technology, security and hacking softwares, programs, and schemes will always cancel out each other leaving the computer a technology that is always open to risks and threats. Once again, this is a warning to society about the dangers of computer technology. Being a technological tool that continuously evolves, people should realize that there will always be security and privacy risks and threats involved with the use of the computer. BBC. (2009). Dangerous Coding Errors Revealed. Retrieved 18 Jul 2009, from BBC. Website: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/technology/7824939. stm.