Power and the authority to quash the internet rebellion...

For a number of years the Gov't, big business, and other commercial groups and organizations have attempted to quash the freedom of the Internet. As is the case in many countries media and the propaganda drives the message.  A unified centre of information telling the public what to see and what to believe. The Internet and the mass message has provided new avenues to learn and deliver that message. Just as people will say anyone can say anything on the Internet...so can Government and Big Business. The usage of new technologies can be used for connecting and networking but also can be used for subservience and punishment.

With the Canadian Governments recent efforts to gather information on individuals without warrant and open the Internet to police forces the idea of freedom on the Internet slowly eroded. The idea of fear and the 'boogey'man once again crept up in the political  ideology to sway public opinion. This is no different than other westernized governments around the world introducing various bills to limit access and open personal information to them. An big business getting involved with anti-piracy acts veiled in the moral authority of stealing as its underlying ideology. We can berate countries such as Chine and North Korea for limiting information coming out of their countries but is controlling our message only less overt?

The spawn of Internet political movements and connecting people all over the world to unite in one cause has been a powerful tool to staying connected. Allowing professionals and students to learn from each other from east to west, north to south has created a more connective society. Bloggers', Peer to Peer interaction and informal learning allows us to become more diverse. So will the notion of web based cameras on every corner, police monitoring all citizens and big business driving what we can see and use make this an uncertain future? When i think of the Internet revolution i also think of it as an evolution with potential dire consequences yet enormous possibilities.

How will be manage this critical mass of 'good vs evil' ' the Internet as the ultimate weapon of mass destruction' and 'technological darwinism'. I say keep it for the people and allow everyone to use it for the best possible purpose...staying connected and informed through each other.


http://people.oii.ox.ac.uk/dutton/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/5th-estate-lecture-text.pdf