Knowledge is power. Freedom of expression and speech is a crucial part of most modern societies. Within this culture, many people believe that by sharing information freely among all humanity, the future of the world is enhanced. Although some reasons for sharing information freely include rapid development of science and benefit of humanity, I believe it should not be solicited without pay because information needs finance and security.
Scientific breakthroughs can be achieved faster and more when people do not need to have financial backing to acquire the necessary knowledge. There are many smart scientists who do not have the funds to acquire important information to complete their research. However, when the information is free, this is not a barrier for their progress. For instance, information on cancer can be accessed freely on the internet, and this allowed Dr. James Cornick, a poor physician in Ireland, to come up with a pill which helps cure skin cancer and benefits people around the world. Even though in this situation free knowledge is beneficial, it is not true in all cases.
Much information requires payment to be produce and maintain. Also, certain types of information in the wrong hands can be devastating for society. There are many professionals whose jobs are to produce research and new concepts. When they are not paid for this work, they can no longer generate science. In addition, some of this research deals with dangerous fields such as nuclear physics and pharmaceuticals. For instance, last year an act of terror occurred because some criminals were able to learn how to make explosives using free information on the internet. This clearly should not be permissible, and for this reason alone, not all information should be free to access for everyone.
In conclusion, distributing information free of charge can help in certain aspects but can also be detrimental to society. Although some believe people should give as much knowledge pro bono as possible, I strongly believe the opposite. People should be careful to underestimate the value and power of knowledge.