Let's Nationalize The Internet
from the a-modest-proposal dept
An interesting opinion piece over at the Register suggests that we need to stop thinking of "cyberspace" as a different place with different rules. As part of this, the writer suggests we basically create "nationalized" trusted internets, where each country gets to control their own internet with their own laws. This is mainly a response to stupid US laws that spread out beyond the US and effect everyone else. However, with nationalized internets where actions and users can be associated with specific countries, then we no longer needs separate (bad) laws for the internet - but can apply the laws of each particular land to the internet as it is used there. There are, of course, a number of problems with this suggestion - the most basic one being that it takes away many of the reasons why the internet is useful in the first place. Cordoning off separate sections of the internet for separate countries makes it much less useful. It's a typical "block the borders" approach from people who fear change - but which tends to do more harm than good. I agree that many of the US internet laws are stupid, and it's awful that it's impacting other countries, but that's no reason to shut everyone else out.
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The truely dumb thing...
Really these aren't things that couldn't have happened prior to the Internet, the Internet just makes it a lot easier.
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Re: The truely dumb thing...
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