Just as libraries and the publishing industry have evolved in the face of technology, so too, has censorship. In the 20th century, reasons to burn books ranged from religious to celebratory, from political to traditional. While censorship in the 21st century also included these elements, the rise of eBooks has ushered in new practices for the digital environment.
Content management that is given to distributors and vendors, such as Amazon, has changed the landscape for censorhip in the Digital Age. There is a realization that readers who keep books in the "cloud" do not own so much as lease their books. Furthermore, censorship of some books may occur even before they are queued for digitization and mass accessiblity. As Bruccoli (2007) asserts, "It is likely that certain older books or writings by eccentrics or “unreconstructed” thinkers, judged dangerous or offensive, will be excluded from electronic reproduction on grounds of their contents; isn’t conversion of a book library to an on-line imitation a perfect chance for the speech-and- thought police to rid America of texts expressing views deemed outdated, irresponsible, offensive, in ammatory, or in language now banned?" (p. 73). In this regard, this "digital burning" makes the efforts of censors much more effective and efficient; simply refrain from digitizing offensive texts. Moreover, virtually a click of the button could rob tens of thousands of copies of a single book from every reader.
Social media reigns in the Digital Age. For this reason, physical book burning, which provides press exposure, will continue for some time. With one Facebook post, the book burning threat of Pastor Jones elicited a response from the world's highest leadership. Arguably, if print eventually gives way to digital copies, the type of public discourse aroused by book burnings and which stimulates a democratic society will be lost (Sims, 2015).
The role of book burning in society is still evolving in the early 21st century. More questions were posed than answered while researching this topic. Book burning is a form of censorship, yes, but perhaps more importantly it is a symbol of expression. Physical book burnings dominated the 20th century and provided a visual element that is lost on digital materials. However, the Digital Age "burnings" have found new life with the dominance of social media and have necessitated a closer look at readers' rights and the way readers access books.
Content management that is given to distributors and vendors, such as Amazon, has changed the landscape for censorhip in the Digital Age. There is a realization that readers who keep books in the "cloud" do not own so much as lease their books. Furthermore, censorship of some books may occur even before they are queued for digitization and mass accessiblity. As Bruccoli (2007) asserts, "It is likely that certain older books or writings by eccentrics or “unreconstructed” thinkers, judged dangerous or offensive, will be excluded from electronic reproduction on grounds of their contents; isn’t conversion of a book library to an on-line imitation a perfect chance for the speech-and- thought police to rid America of texts expressing views deemed outdated, irresponsible, offensive, in ammatory, or in language now banned?" (p. 73). In this regard, this "digital burning" makes the efforts of censors much more effective and efficient; simply refrain from digitizing offensive texts. Moreover, virtually a click of the button could rob tens of thousands of copies of a single book from every reader.
Social media reigns in the Digital Age. For this reason, physical book burning, which provides press exposure, will continue for some time. With one Facebook post, the book burning threat of Pastor Jones elicited a response from the world's highest leadership. Arguably, if print eventually gives way to digital copies, the type of public discourse aroused by book burnings and which stimulates a democratic society will be lost (Sims, 2015).
The role of book burning in society is still evolving in the early 21st century. More questions were posed than answered while researching this topic. Book burning is a form of censorship, yes, but perhaps more importantly it is a symbol of expression. Physical book burnings dominated the 20th century and provided a visual element that is lost on digital materials. However, the Digital Age "burnings" have found new life with the dominance of social media and have necessitated a closer look at readers' rights and the way readers access books.