There was a time, not so long ago, when the term “Internet Freedom” actually meant what it implied: a cyberspace free from over-zealous legislators and bureaucrats. For a few brief, beautiful moments in the Internet’s history (from the mid-90s to the early 2000s), a majority of Netizens and cyber-policy pundits alike all rallied around the flag of “Hands Off the Net!”
From censorship efforts, encryption controls, online taxes, privacy mandates and infrastructure regulations, there was a general consensus as to how much authority government should have over cyber life and our cyber liberties. Simply put, there was a “presumption of liberty” in all cyber matters.
Those days are now gone; the presumption of online liberty is giving way to a presumption of regulation. A massive assault on real Internet freedom has been gathering steam for years and has finally come to a head. Ironically, victory for those who carry the banner of “Internet Freedom” would mean nothing less than the death of that freedom.
We refer to the gradual but certain movement to have the federal government impose “neutrality” regulation for all Internet actors and activities–and in particular, to Monday’s announcement by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski that new rules will be floated shortly. “But wait,” you say, “You’re mixing things up! All that’s being talked about right now is the application of ‘simple net neutrality,’ regulations for the infrastructure layer of the net.” You might even claim regulations are not really regulation but pro-freedom principles to keep the net “free and open.”
Read More: By Adam Thierer and Berin Szoka, Forbes
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We will fight for our rights on this also. Our freedom of speech, if they take this away, we will invent something to take its place. We will get rid of whoever tried to embark upon our freedoms, yes and fight
we will. Come on people, have some gumption….our forefathers fought harder with their very lives for more
than this, for their homes, freedom, for their existence. We will be able to tackle this also.
These Marxists really know how to divide and conquer. Take control of every aspect of our lives, one at a time until we cannot even communicate. And most will get on the trains like good little Jews on their way to Auschwitz without making waves.
To hell with that! The sacrifices that those who came before us made to protect our freedoms deserve better than this socialist -fascist nightmare. We have to fight this so their sacrifice was not in vain.
I am strongly agree with Florence.
Our second amendment was designed to protect us from the loss of our freedom to bear arms in order to fight off enemies either singly, or in groups. Those would be Tangible enemies -NOT INTANGIBLES like the internet, NY Times and liberal propaganda machines.
Florence Such:
No need to invent something else – our forefathers gave us the 2nd Amendment! They envisioned it would be necessary to protect the !st!
Pray for the Oath Keepers! We will need them!
The internet freedom we now enjoy is solidly protected by the First Amendment, and cannot be abridged. in any way. My gut feeling is the congressmen will reject the curtailment of our internet rights because they know their constituents will vote them out of office. Congress alone makes laws – NOT the president!!!!!