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Growing demand from governments worldwide, to control the Internet

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In a world where the Internet accounts for 21% of mature economies’ GDP growth,“BRICs push for bigger say in running of Internet” (Reuters October 4, 2011), Georgina Prodhan reports,

Campaigners for a loosely regulated Internet are alarmed at the risk to Web freedom from fast-growing BRIC and other emerging economies seeking more say in how the online realm is policed.

BRIC countries are countries like (and including) Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

They fear tighter government control by authoritarian countries will strangle the liberal culture which has allowed the still-young Internet to thrive as an engine of economic growth and innovation.

China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan last month proposed to the United Nations a global code of conduct embodying among others the principle that “policy authority for Internet-related public issues is the sovereign right of states.”

France’s president Sarkhozy has expressed interest too.

The Internet is the last appeal for any number of worthy causes, as well as unworthy ones.

See also: Don’t tell us “Oh, but that’s just China …” Listen. It’s not just China.

The criminal hyperlink and how it affects you: It may not be criminal in your part of the world to hear reasons against a state-sponsored religion elsewhere. In some places, it is, and a hyperlink could be “criminal” if your government co-operates with the agenda.

Think governments don’t want control of the Internet? Read  this.

Of course they do. It’s much easier for cash-strapped and authority-challenged governments worldwide to enforce against minority opinion than against violent fanatics or career criminals. In any society, many short-sighted, well-meaning people will agree that “some kind of control is necessary,” only to say later, “We never thought they would mainly pursue opposition opinion, not violent fanatics or international criminals.”

Did you not? Did you not indeed?

If you don’t have any minority opinions at all, why are you reading Uncommon Descent? How will you account to your government for your interest?

Comments
In the Anglo-American civilization its a natural right to have and strive for justice and all rightful gain for our people. So we have a right to free speech without anyone saying otherwise. Slander being a special case. We have all the rights we need from our ancestors. Its up to us to fight and prevail in keeping them. In Canada there is serious attack on free speech. very serious and historic. The foreigners here have no heritage or interest in our heritage of freedom and our own people need leadership always in the beginning. The bad guys want to rule us and don't trust they can by persuasion or fast enough. The internet will be targeted if its seen as a threat. Its not yet a threat to the establishment.Robert Byers
October 11, 2011
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Many governments are. The thing to see is that, whatever nonsense they put before the public, they need to criminalize reporting on their own misdeeds. It's nothing new. The real history of the printing press demonstrates that fact.News
October 11, 2011
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Although Brazil is a democracy, the government is trying hard to approve a law that will control the media. This is censorship!Enezio E. De Almeida Filho
October 11, 2011
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