The Importance of Internet Freedom

The creation of the internet enable more communication between people globally than one could ever think was possible. Ideas, information, and various movements can spread rapidly. Internet Freedom has given rise to digital media, e-commerce, and an evolving form of technology based activism. There have been calculated means to stop the progress of this new freedom by the ruling elite of the world. Net neutrality has been under attack by various governments and corporations who realize the power of the medium. Internet freedom offers a diverse alternative media, enables a new form of commerce, and allows for a forum of open discussion on various topics or issues. The major reason why internet freedom is so essential is that it provides a vast amount of knowledge  easily available to people who have access. Once the digital divide is closed, more people have access to information. There are still places in the world that do not have reliable internet access. It is only a matter of time before this changes. It will become more difficult for information to be suppressed or hidden from public view. The internet's creation did have negative consequences. Hacking, the spread of extremist ideology, and cybercrime have become common problems with widespread internet use. Prohibition of certain internet platforms would be counterproductive. Such suggestions are designed to either hinder the flow of information or end internet freedom completely. Arguments from suppressing internet freedom range from public safety, stopping online piracy, or crime prevention. The real motive behind this is for far-right and authoritarian elements to silence the voices of dissent. If social and political movements can be started by either websites, social media, or other digital platforms networks of oppression may not have a means to counter such speed. Internet freedom could be a means for radical change of the economic, political, and social structure.
        Internet freedom can ensure preservation of a functional free press. Many nations do not have this privilege. Nations with press protection face another problem of corporate domination of news. The presentation of the truth is not the objective for a business. The major media corporations are more concerned about profit rather than high quality reporting or journalism. The authoritarian regimes seek to stifle internet access to prevent exposure to new ideas or information reaching the wider world. Exposure to new ideas or ideology can disrupt the status quo in a repressive state. The internet has become a place in which information and news is limitless. Video sharing and original content for various individuals has exposed billions of people to different perspectives. Alternative media has emerged  as a challenger to mainstream news, which presents a simplistic or biased narrative. Although major cable news networks both local and international have an online presence, they still present the same message. The critical or serious analytical element is missing, yet is replaced with opinion presented as fact. Out of frustration, consumers have turned to alternative media. Fox News, CNN, CCtv, BBC, Africa News, Euronews,  France 24, and Russia Today either have a national  or political based biased that can be seen in their reporting. The internet allows users to seek out various websites and compare information. The challenge for the user is distinguishing between fact and erroneous claims.

      
There has been an increase in what has been called fake news. Websites and social media platforms have been spreading information that is not true or checked for accuracy. Fake news is not a new phenomenon seeing as there were cases in which false statements or accusations were made in newspapers and television. Jayson Blair a former New York Times  journalist fabricated stories in 2003 regarding the Iraq War. Articles were discovered to false by the staff and Blair was forced to resign. Incidents such as that have gradually cause a more suspicion  of the media by the public. The press has come under threat from the corporate model of news, censorship, and government hostility. The internet has for the most part avoided large scale censorship that television and radio has been faced with. The issues surrounding privacy and   technology companies using personal data has gained the attention of numerous political figures. The government's concern is not the theft of personal data or the violation of privacy, but a means of either having control or more strict regulation of the internet. If net neutrality is eradicated, press freedom could lose a valuable resource. Internet service providers could easily just reduce speeds to certain websites or worse by taking them off of search engine listings. With print media disappearing, it is critical that the consumers of news have access to multiple sources of information. Media literacy become more essential in a world that is driven by information.
        Electronic commerce has become a major economic development. It has revolutionized the way people purchase products. The driving force in the contemporary consumer culture is e-commerce. None of this would have been possible without internet freedom. People have the power to buy many products at any time of day. Amazon or E-Bay has a multitude of items ranging from clothing, books, electronics, clothes, and furniture. The difference is that a consumer can also engage in selling items. The option for the individual can be to set a certain price with the hope it get s the attention of a potential buyer.  E-commerce also contributes to the survival of small businesses. Compared to large and long running corporations, smaller businesses have difficulty competing in the market. The disadvantage is obvious in terms of advertisement. A corporation can have more resources devoted to buying air time, erecting billboards, or developing public relations campaigns. A small business or start-up does that have the finance for such ambitious projects. However, social media and websites can provide spaces for advertisement at minimal cost. This creates an equal atmosphere of market competition between small business and corporations.

    
Large corporations have the benefit of  having a lower federal  income tax  rate compared to smaller businesses. Having wider internet freedom encourages an expansion of small business, which will keep the economy diversified. There is a legitimate fear that monopolies could reemerge as corporations move to more amalgamation. This is occurring more so with media and entertainment.  Entertainment and other forms of media can benefit from internet freedom. Video streaming and sharing has change the way people watch movies and TV shows. It allows for a greater variety for the viewer to choose from. As time progresses, the internet will become a large section of the entertainment industry.  Internet freedom allows commerce to happen even without a physical store or market. Staring a business or company becomes much easier with the tools of the internet. Some believe that e-commerce has been causing the decline of traditional retail stores. What is not realized is that many stores are establishing websites and online shopping options. This allows more exposure of a company's brand to the wider public. The rise of e-commerce will continue and it will become more a part of  consumers lives. The amazing phenomenon is that the divide between consumer and producer may gradually disappear.
       Internet freedom has given the average person more knowledge than previous generations. Prior to the internet, the library, school, or a book was what people referred to. Now, a person can merely type on their laptop or phone and get answers to their questions. The internet has become a large encyclopedia of a vast assortment of human experience. Video streaming as also enabled an immense archive of prominent individuals and years gone by. Knowledge has become an even greater power and commodity in the modern world. The more a person knows, the more advantages they will have. Even though many would see the internet as nothing more than senseless entertainment or a frivolous waste of time, it can be used for learning. Public schools and universities realize that a contemporary workforce needs at least some basic computer literacy skills. Schools now offer coding and computer science courses to students. Living in a technological society requires a solid knowledge base. Just having knowledge stored is not enough; people must be taught how to decipher and interpret it.

Prior to technological advancements, it was difficult for the average person to gain access to knowledge. Information was either transmitted through oral traditions in many societies. The rise of writing and language made it so a person did not have to be reliant on their memory only. The printing press gave way to the increase in literacy and the rapid transfer of information. Books became  more available and libraries became open to the public. Newspapers could print faster with a printing press. Speed of information became more important as the centuries progressed. The 20th century brought into existence two influential  forms of technology which were radio and television. People could listen or look at what was happening around the world. The establishment of the World Wide Web in 1989 would amplify how fast and the total amount of information  the public could receive. The people of the world can witness events without even leaving their own country. Information on individuals, academic subjects, or entertainment can be accessed at anytime. Research and archiving has experienced  in a sense a renaissance. The internet can have a positive effect on education and the wider knowledge base of human civilization.  The internet can contribute the spreading of ideas and the preservation of the vast body of  knowledge.
        Internet freedom also ensures that activism can continue and get large portions of people involved in a cause. There is a negative consequence to this. Hate groups, terrorist organizations, organized crime, and cyber criminals can also use internet freedom to their advantage. The only way to counter extremism to confront it with activism and facts. Organizing has become much easier with social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook. Gathering people for a demonstration could be more complicated in the past. Making contact or attracting others to a cause would take considerable time and effort. The absence of internet freedom would mean movements such as Black Lives Matter or # Me Too may not have become as large or rapidly growing. Their is a limitation to the new wave of digital activism. Short attention spans and long term plans for change seem absent. There is the greater possibility of co-option at a faster rate. Leaders of social justice movements must be aware of this and learn to use the internet to their advantage. The term hacker has been given a negative connotation. Yet, some use their skill to expose or leak information that is deliberately hidden from the public. The exposure of government abuse and surveillance has caused many leaders  to seek more restriction to hide possible crimes.

The establishment of Wikileaks has made world leaders more nervous about possible leaks to the press. Julian Assange is not being charged because he committed a heinous act, rather he exposed  US war crimes in Iraq. The release of diplomatic cables cannot be considered classified information, yet the argument has been made it compromised national security. If Assange faces prison or possible execution then it will be a major loss for press and internet freedom. Eric Snowden who was a subcontractor for the CIA exposed the US government's expansive surveillance network of its own citizens. Both Assange and Snowden have been demonized by both government and mainstream media. Being a whistleblower  in an age of internet freedom has become easier, which puts political figures in a state of fear. No longer can acts of  corrupt  foreign  or domestic policy be denied when physical  evidence exists. The Panama Papers were leaked by an anonymous source, which revealed that world leaders and the business elite were using firms for tax evasion, fraud, or circumventing international sanctions. The documents were leaked from the former corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca. When more corruption is discovered, the greater the amount of public discord grows. Controlling the narrative seeks to keep people passive and accepting of violations or government abuse of power. Some who were active and fought to keep internet freedom alive were not so fortunate. Aron Swartz was a computer programmer and activist for internet freedom. Swartz was the founder of Demand Progress, an organization dedicated to human rights, an open internet, and transparency. Aron Swartz was also involved in the development of RSS, Creative Commons, one of the founders of Reddit, and the Markdown web publishing format. Swartz had the belief that knowledge should be free and available to everyone. Aron Swartz connected a computer to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology  network gaining access to academic journals. He was charged with under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Instead of facing a life sentence he chose suicide. Swartz's story is a tragic one, but makes it even more important to be aware about net neutrality and technology related issues. The new era of movements is going to have online activism being a part of their organizing strategies. 

          Internet freedom can protect free speech and expression to a greater extent than previously imagined. Discussions are more open in an online setting. The problem is that  can get more vitriolic and tribal. People have a tendency to associate both online and in real life with others who share their own views. So, a internet  user may not be getting more exposure to different ideas or belief systems. Inevitably they will seeing as the internet is an enormous entity of information. The way in which  a person articulates themselves online differs compared to seeing someone face to face. Online discussion can be more candid, at times more offensive, or too truthful for people to handle. There is a habit for some to impose self-censorship when debating sensitive issues. Certain topics are either ignored or not talked about at all. Racism, sexism, homophobia, police brutality, poverty, or corruption are topics that are avoided in common conversation. The internet through video displays the worst aspects of human cruelty and hatred. Without video sharing  websites, the public would not know the severe extent of police brutality. Generating conversation is the first step to initiating effective change. No topic or subject is off limits in digital space. Content can be violent, extreme, or artistic. The exchange of ideas and art can provide a creative outlet that no other medium can offer. Free speech can also be unlimited as well as expression. While a huge amount of  freedom can be a benefit, it comes with responsibility. Internet users mush be conscious of what they post or share both personally and professionally. Comments or pictures could instigate controversy and condemnation. Words do have power and it is proven with writing. New mediums always have a challenge or establishing appropriate conduct, but this is not a justification for censorship. Free speech and expression cannot exist under a society than wants everyone to adhere to a single mode of thought. The ability to share large amounts of data and information can ensure that free speech and expression has a future. 

       Net neutrality has been under attack and its effects could be devastating. Numerous global challenges do dominate including climate change, war, and poverty. It would seem that internet freedom should be a low priority. However, the only weapon that the oppressed or the struggling have is a platform to expose injustice. The mainstream media has failed in many regards in relation to reporting truth. Alternative media provides a more critical technique to global affairs. The corporate model focuses on establishing on narrative or  presents information based around a politically partisan spectrum. This distorts the view of the world, which is more complex than presented on television. Internet freedom allows a person to get access to different sources. The only way to foster media literacy is to see news from other countries and websites. Consumers must learn to see various media and compare. While some condemn or scapegoat the internet for particular troubles in society, the rise of technology should not be seen as a curse. Outcomes depend on how technology is used. E-commerce, online activism, and the spread of human knowledge is what the internet should be used for. A government controlled internet would be nothing more than a branch of a large propaganda arm. Regulations and laws are required to keep private data safe, stop online piracy,  and prevent cybercrime. However, laws should not be made to reduce a user's access  to information. Copyright should not be used as a means of corporations to hinder fair use. The internet was meant to be free and for everyone. The information age has enabled  the world to become a smaller place. An event that occurs on one part of the globe will effect the rest. More people will know about it and share information. Information technology has ushered in a possible fourth industrial revolution in which computers and artificial intelligence will be a part of our daily  lives.  Internet freedom is a human right, but at the moment few recognize it as such.        

     

Prime Minister Abiy Amed Wins The Nobel Peace Prize

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Amed has won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to bring about a solution with the conflict with Eritrea. The two countries have been in long disputes and Eritrea fought a  war of independence from Ethiopia.  Prime Minister Abiy Amed's efforts should be seen as an example to various world leaders in regards to why diplomacy works. There still remains much to be done in East Africa. Ethiopia struggles with ethnic conflict and the discrimination of the Oromo peoples cannot be ignored. The question of wider political freedoms and reducing restrictions on the press should be major priorities. Ethnic conflict and war can easily derail progress, which must be reduced at all costs. Ethiopia and Eritrea must enhance economic and political cooperation for the sake of regional stability.Other African nations can contribute by acting as mediators in disputes. The conflict and destabilization in Somalia could also pose a problem as well as Kenya's involvement. Prime Minister Abiy Amed has accomplished much in a short period,but it is important to keep the political momentum going. Part of this program must include domestic and foreign policy reforms. 

Carrie Lam Invokes Emergency Powers

Even though the extradition bill has been terminated, the protests have not stopped. Carrie Lam the Chief Executive of Hong Kong is facing some of the most violent upheavals the city has ever seen. The youth have grown increasingly frustrated with the political status quo. Carrie Lam attempted to meet with demonstrators to have an open dialogue, but talks have failed. An important financial center of Asia is in a state of turmoil, which could have long lasting economic impact. Carrie Lam now has invoked colonial era emergency powers which may delay elections and impose curfews on the city. There was indication that harsher measures could be utilized if  violence continues. The Chief Executives actions have not gone without condemnation. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia stated that he thought it was time for Carrie Lam to resign. So far, it appears she will hold on to power however long it takes. Carrie Lam argues that if she resigns, this will not end protests or violence in Hong Kong. There could be an intention of this movement in the city to spread to other parts of China. Fears of a wider crackdown from Beijing have been rumored. Banks and businesses cannot function under such conditions. Carrie Lam has not declared a state of emergency, but it is a possibility as a means to maintain power. The protests in Hong Kong are far from being over as people demand more reform and a transparent government.    

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi States That The President Violated His Oath of Office

The impeachment inquiries are underway against President Donald Trump. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has stated that the president had violated his oath of office by seeking foreign assistance. President Trump requested in July that Volodymyr Zelensky investigate Hunter Biden's business investments and links in Ukraine. President Donald Trump may have been anticipating that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would be his challenger in 2020. The claim is that he was using extortion as a means to give him an advantage for getting a second term. So far, members of the Trump White House have been implicated including  Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Impeachment will not result in President Trump's removal from office, seeing as the Senate is Republican dominated. There simply are not enough votes. The impeachment process may be too late. If it were to be effective, it should have happened after the Muller Report. The only way it could be a political gain is if it has a negative impact of President Trump's attempt at getting re-elected. The Republican Party still has support for his administration despite the number of scandals and investigations. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi  waited too long to take action against a president that may be abusing the office. Impeachment may not be enough to energize Democratic voters and especially the youth, women, and African American demographic. While impeachment could effect President Trump's poll numbers, it is not enough to get the Republican Party and his supporters to repudiate him.   

International Climate Change Protests

There were climate change protests in over 150 countries with people demanding world leaders to take action against a threat to the world environment. Climate change has become too damaging to ignore with rising sea levels, more powerful hurricanes, and lethal heatwaves. The polar ice caps are gradually melting putting island nations at risk. The nations of the Pacific are particularly vulnerable. Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia will face a disproportionate amount of challenge from the temperature changes and increase in sea levels. Japan, the UK, South Africa, Pakistan, and India are at risk for intensified flooding. The general lack of concern has causing young people to become more active in environmentalist causes. Greta Thunberg has become a symbol of a new generation of activists who are attempting to force governments to change policy in relation to environmental protection. While there is plenty of enthusiasm, what must be contemplated is backlash from the fossil fuel industry and their political allies.  There are still many who deny that global warming actually happens. The green house effect is a natural occurrence,but human activity has exacerbated its function. If this continues it could have a devastating impact on public health. People who suffer from respiratory or circulatory system conditions may be at risk. Governments may not have enough resources to deal with the natural disasters that are the result of climate change. Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America must collaborate on forming a global environmental protection policy to reduce the dangers that come from climate change.       

Zine el Abidine Ben Ali Has Died

The former president of Tunisia Zine el Abidine Ben Ali has died in exile. When the Arab Spring erupted in 2011, he fled to Saudi Arabia. As Tunisia attempts to change course in its politics it seems that a chapter in its history has ended. Ben Ali's leadership was authoritarian, but rarely was condemned by the EU countries or US. The reason was that he was largely compliant with their interests. This explains why there were no demands from western nations that he resign like in Libya or Egypt. He was given safe protection, but that did not stop him from having a trial  absentia . President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali was known to ban political parties on the basis of fighting Islamic fundamentalist groups.What this was really doing was stopping political opposition to his rule. It was in 1991 that he banned the Nahdah Party. Zine el Abidine Ben Ali came to power through a coup in 1987 removing longtime President Habib Bourguiba. Corruption during the Ben Ali presidency was widespread and it was suspected that his family as well as allies were embezzling public funds. It has been alleged that Ben Ali had a Swiss bank account, which was frozen after he fled the country. It is uncertain if Tunisia can get these funds back, even though it may be the country's own money. President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali's rule left  Tunisia in a state of high unemployment,poverty, and general decline. Tunisia may easily revert back to an authoritarian model if Islamist parties gain more power.       

A Condemnation of Censorship

When an argument for the support of censorship is made, it is justified advocates claim for the protection of the public. Censorship is an act of  oppression on multiple levels.It attempts to halt free speech, thought, or opposing views. At its worst it stifles intellectual curiosity.While these seem like minor violations of basic right it can escalate to another extreme. Imprisonment, persecution,  or death can be the devastating consequences of censorship. This has become a attribute of authoritarian systems, but democratic systems are not immune either. Free speech and press remain fragile when measures are taken in the name of national security. Even moderate levels of censorship could be potentially dangerous. The advocates of this type of censorship want to prevent offending various groups or people. This seems misguided. What may be offensive to one person could be different from another individual's perspective. Censoring media or print does not hide the reality of society's prejudices and intolerance. Policing language becomes more restrictive rather than a tool for social change. What this does is only silence debate. Censorship does not do the public a service. Censorship is the desire to control what people think, feel, read,or watch.
         It cannot be denied that censorship is a form of oppression. What it seeks to do is stop independent thought. When a person is no longer able to reason for themselves, they will be subject to easier manipulation. There is also an emotional response component. The information presented to a individual has to induce a certain reaction. The message could either be telling a person how to feel about a certain group or take a particular political position.  Truth and falsehood can no longer be deciphered. There is a war on critical thinking in which opposing views are either considered conspiracy theory or nonsense. Free speech continually is under threat from both political and corporate power. Populations that do not utilize critical thinking can easily be misled by various institutions in society. The ability to decipher information is more important now than ever. The average person has more access to information than at any point in human history. This may be the last bit of hope,but the ruling class of  various societies want to stop people from getting access. A population that has critical thinking skills or is educated cannot be controlled. The desire is to create conformity in thought and action. Putting people in an imposed state of ignorance is nothing new. The enslaved in the Americas were not taught to read for fear they would question why they were in slavery. Women were denied education, because it would make them question their lower status in society. Peasants were kept in ignorance of their condition in Europe to prevent revolts which would change the feudal order. Since these periods of oppression and social change, there has been improvement in conditions.   
        The worst acts of censorship come from the restriction on press freedom. Governments attempt to silence people who oppose certain policies. Liberal democracies have another issue,which involves the mass media being controlled by a few corporations. The result is a population thinking they are getting unbiased and new information when they are not. Authoritarian governments are more blatant about their disdain for press freedom. Uganda and Saudi Arabia for example have been known to persecute journalists or be involved in their disappearance. The murder of Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi government demonstrates oppressive governments are willing to liquidate their own citizens who oppose the system. The United States seeks to imprison Julian Assange for documents he put on Wikileaks regarding the Iraq and Afghan wars. The liberal democracies seek to also silence opposing views,but it is done in a more covert manner. They simply do not have the political power and force of a dictatorship has to violate basic human rights to the same degree. The troubling aspect in liberal democracies is the abnormal amount of corporate influence on print and television news. If a group of corporations owns papers and networks they can stop certain stories from being reported that do not suit their objectives. Alternative media has arisen to counter the corporate news model, yet it is often presented as being fringe or based in conspiracy theory. Societies that pride themselves of free expression allow various views to be presented, yet the fact is media shapes one perspective.  The reader or viewer of media is kept in a state of ignorance about the reality of political and economic conditions.
         Prior to television or the internet books were a source of recording information. Prior to that oral traditions were common in various societies. Censorship has a long history of banning books or simply destroying them. The Catholic Church had a list of banned books considered blasphemous. During the Middle Ages it was possible to be burned at the stake for questioning religion. Nicholas Copernicus did not even publish his heliocentric theory during his lifetime for fear of punishment by the Church. Giordano Bruno was executed for promoting the Copernican model. Institutions that dislike the truth will always want to suppress numerous texts. If they cannot stop people from reading certain books, they are eliminated. The execution of people or the destruction of books has continued into the modern era. The 20th century did see similar behavior related to extreme censorship with totalitarian states in Europe. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Soviet Union went to obsessive lengths to prevent any written material getting to the public that challenged their ideology. A common practice in the Third Reich was to burn books. If books were not in line with ideas of race supremacy or militarism they were simply liquidated. Fiction works were also subject to book burning. Works of satire or comedy can be a threat to rulers or institutions that want to present their convictions as ultimate truths. If a lie can not be sustained, then war on truth must be waged. Public schools have even been known to ban books they deem to controversial  or inappropriate for students. Reading can give the people the power of knowledge and awareness, which many ruling elites want to prevent.
       The argument for censorship lacks credibility. The excuse is either for the instance of public safety or the notion certain thoughts  should not be spoken. Governments make the argument that press and free speech need restriction to ensure national security. What the real concern for them is exposure of possible abuses or illegal activities. The NSA was doing  mass surveillance of US citizens who had nothing to do with terrorist organizations. Edward Snowden exposed these programs in 2013 and ever since he has been demonized or prevented from explaining on mainstream media. There is no evidence that his links caused a spike in terrorist attacks or endangered people working in the CIA or NSA. The only actions that endanger national security is being in a permanent  state of warfare, not public awareness of  NSA programs. Moderate censorship may not be as severe as the national security or public safety argument, but still raises concerns. This extends into the concept of political correctness and what is deemed offensive. Advocates argue that certain language or speech should not be spoken on the basis it can offend certain groups. This can extend to ethnic, religious, or sexual orientation identification. The problem with this is that it is stifling free expression. What may be considered offensive to one person may not be to another. What is considered obscene or lascivious can also vary among individuals and culture. This attempt to create a safe space really only accomplishes the illusion of an inclusive atmosphere. Censoring films, TV,  social media, or any other medium does not eliminate racism, sexism, homophobia, or religious intolerance. The result is that discussion and debate are neutralized, because there are some topics that are forbidden to talk about. Free speech seems to be okay until somebody hears a view they do not like. Far-right extremists make the argument that they are having their free speech restricted, but their real intent is just to insight violence and hate. Moderate censorship cannot distinguish the difference between general disagreement and extremist thought. This leaves tech companies in a more precarious situation when their platforms are used for hate groups or terrorist organizations to organize. The government will just use that as an excuse for more regulation and censorship.
      Censorship has caused major damage throughout history. It has attacked the arts,sciences, and even free thought itself. Humanity has reached a new age in which knowledge and information is ubiquitous. Governments and the ruling classes of the world may not be able to manipulate or control populations like they used to. However, the threat of censorship has remained present along with disturbing new developments. Fake news is not a recent phenomenon due to the fact newspapers of the past were filled with bias or false information. The problem is that people of their own free will are believing what they read without serious examination. People may be willing to believe anything if it correlates to their opinions, even if the facts state other wise. The internet and social media provide a vast scope of various perspectives and information, but people require the critical thinking skills to decipher what they are reading. As there is a greater movement to dismantle net neutrality, this means censorship could reach a whole new level. This means users will have access to only certain websites under the direction of internet service providers. Censorship will become more prevalent in the future seeing as the average person has more access to information. The movement for more censorship must be resisted. Ignorance and philistine attitudes can be lethal to free society. Now more than ever it is the public must be vigilant of corruption and government abuse. There is no good reason for censorship,other than protecting the powerful. Knowledge was meant to be free and open to everyone. Censorship seeks to keep  people isolation and darkness.