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Privacy International Internet Censorship Report
eric434 writes "The Register reports that Internet restrictions, government secrecy and communications surveillance have reached an unprecedented level across the world, from 9/11-inspired Patriot-esque laws to national internet filtering and corporate abuse of the legal system. Summarizing the Privacy International report, it's quite evident that we've not only approached but started down a slippery slope. In the words of Simon Davies (director of Privacy Intl.), 'The report sounds a warning that we must move quickly to preserve the remaining freedoms on the Internet before they are systematically extinguished.'"
"Do we allow the government to track those, also? Do we allow our mail to be searched? "
Yes, we do. Haven't you been paying attention? Care to point to a country where the government (or its police force) doesn't have to the right (exercised daily) to open mail, tap phone calls, etc?
Last time I checked, noone in the united states is prevented from legally acquiring any information they desire... you can get government records, money trails, electronic information, anything.
Oh yeah? Well how about the government's attempts to stop this happening: in this report you can see how John Ashcrofy has been trying to undermine the FOIA. Choice quotes, one from the reporter:
" In a memo that slipped beneath the political radar, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft vigorously urged federal agencies to resist most Freedom of Information Act requests made by American citizens."
and a quote from Ashcroft's memo, which memo is the subject of the article:
"When you carefully consider FOIA requests and decide to withhold records, in whole or in part, you can be assured that the Department of Justice will defend your decisions unless they lack a sound legal basis or present an unwarranted risk of adverse impact on the ability of other agencies to protect other important records."
Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating - Bender
What I found more interesting at the end of the article was the link to the Stupid Security Contest winners. My favorite winner is the Gunpowder Tea one because you think you know the outcome, but then it becomes even more baffling.
That has to be one of the most frustratingly vague article I've ever read; it's far below normal post-to-slashdot standards, and that's saying quite a bit.
The development of the Internet has lead to more horizontal and less vertical communication
Huh? What does this mean, and how is it relevant?
This study has found that censorship of the Internet is commonplace in most regions of the world.
Exact definition of censorship? Can I get some sort of quantification of "commonplace" and "most regions" please?
It is clear that in most countries over the past two years there has been an acceleration of efforts to either close down or inhibit the Internet.
Apparently it's so clear no examples of such accleration are necessary.
Some American cable companies seek to turn the Internet into a controlled distribution medium like TV and radio, and are putting in place the necessary technological changes to the Internet?s infrastructure to do so.
Who are 'some american cable companies?' How? What sort of technological changes?
Technological developments are being implemented to protect a free Internet
Examples?
I'm not disagreeing with their overall point, mind you, but the article reads like some people sat around creating a bullet point list of ways they've heard the internet being censored, and then handed the list to their 16 year old intern to fill out. Research? Journalism? The writers know not these things.
It's nothing but crumpled porno and Ayn Rand.