Another attempt of restricting freedom

[Carbonox]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...02821852508.html?mod=rss_Today's_Most_Popular

Clearly there are still people who didn't get the message after ACTA and its friends were taken down. Maybe it's time to give it to them once again?

EDIT: Thought I'd put up this link too, in case there are people who want to join the protection of freedom: http://www.protectinternetfreedom.net/

 

[XS]

Unfortunately, I feel it's only a matter of time. A truly open and free forum of ideas such as the the world wide web tends to send shivers through governments, and it's no surprise that the most paranoid, much-to-lose nations such as China, and countries in the Middle East would be pushing the hardest for control and regulation.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Yet in those countries, it's really easy to pick up pirated stuff in the markets.

So long as corporations have lawyers, they will always be on the prowl to curb consumer rights for monetary gains.

 

[Carbonox]

Don't these countries (Russia, Middle East, especially China) already have strict restrictions in their internet? Are they too afraid of criticism in the West?

I also refuse to believe that this ever gets through, there's so much opposition among the more civilized people who have long known that censorship kills your rights.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Nope . Especially when it comes to Western criticism. The problem with these laws is just not the theory of it, but also the implementation of it. Cops in Russia and the Middle East and China probably don't really care at all so long as they get stuff for cheap.

 

[Danoff]

Even in the US we attempt to restrict the internet with "Net Neutrality" legislation, opening the door for further and further government regulation. I hope that we can continue to have a free internet - it has done so much good across the world, but people who desire power both in this country and abroad will constantly fight to control it. In the US especially, we hand the keys over to our government when they promise to do something we like, like "net neutrality", and inevitably end up with something we hate.

 

[Slash]

I think if we didn't have a free internet, people would riot.

 

[BobK]

Maybe a few would, but I'd suspect the majority of the sheeple would grumble and grouse a bit, then go on as before. And for every protester, there will be some clown trying to say "but it's for your own good".

 

[Zenith]

^That. It makes me wonder what a government would have to do before the people's will actually starts to matter. I suspect that even repealing some or all of the Bill of Rights might slip by without revolution.

 

[Joel]

^That. It makes me wonder what a government would have to do before the people's will actually starts to matter. I suspect that even repealing some or all of the Bill of Rights might slip by without revolution.

Ban facebook.

 

[Carbonox]

Maybe a few would, but I'd suspect the majority of the sheeple would grumble and grouse a bit, then go on as before. And for every protester, there will be some clown trying to say "but it's for your own good".

It wasn't exactly just a few people who stood up against ACTA even before it would've come to effect and effectively crumbled it though.

 

[XS]

^That. It makes me wonder what a government would have to do before the people's will actually starts to matter. I suspect that even repealing some or all of the Bill of Rights might slip by without revolution.

There are many examples of huge paradigm shifts occurring with little or no resistance on the part of the citizens. The most infamous include, the Nazi party, the collapse of the USSR and corresponding shift to a form of capitalism and democracy, the end of the Roman elected dictator and the beginning of Emperial rule... Actually, come to think of it, more often than not governments will fundamentally change with only small resistance. The civil wars and revolutions we learn about are the exceptions. Wow, that's actually scary to think about.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Ban facebook.

Already in place in some countries actually.

 

[BobK]

It wasn't exactly just a few people who stood up against ACTA even before it would've come to effect and effectively crumbled it though.

Oh there would be protests, sure. But hardly rioting. I still stand by my original statement.

Speaking of ACTA and its ilk, so far they've been shot down. But eventually the government will slip something through. Also they're chipping away bit by bit. Internet freedom likely won't be lost in one fell swoop, most likely, it'll slowly be strangled a bit at a time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm on your side here. I would be one of the protesters. But I'm also a realist. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean it isn't going to happen.