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UK Conservatives Pledge To Create Government-Controlled Internet (independent.co.uk)
Martin S. writes: Theresa May, the leader of the UK Conservative Party has pledged to create new internet that would be controlled and regulated by government on re-election. An early lead in the polls appears to be slipping but not slowly enough to change the result. Social Media has rapidly become an intense political battlefield. Known as #Mayhem in some circles, but seemingly able to command significant support from new and old media. Also, applying new social media analytics. According to the manifesto, the plans will allow Britain to become "the global leader in the regulation of the use of personal data and the internet." It states, "Some people say that it is not for government to regulate when it comes to technology and the internet... We disagree."
They passed the Snooper's Charter. They could very well pass this too.
AC comments get piped to
We've never had a taste of fascist government before so we don't know how it happens. We will though.
I had a dream, bright and carefree, but now there's doubt and gravity
This is why we need viable leftist opposition parties that actually care about things like free speech, labor rights, and illegal immigration. If you spit in the voting public's face long enough, they will flock to the lesser evil that doesn't completely disregard their interests.
UK never cease to amaze me.
They have tons of CCTV cameras literally everywhere, they want the U.K. to be truly isolated from the rest of the world, Brexit...and of course, now - total control and obedience of all their citizens.
What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
One of your famous writers wrote an instruction manual a while back.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
The thing to remember is that this is pretty much all a reaction to the BREXIT vote.
As was pretty clear to anyone not jerking their knee, that vote turned into a 'do what the government/financial organisations tell you' versus 'dont do what they tell you', as we know where that ended up.
Now, the government, naturally, was horrified - people actually exercised their rights, against what they were told to do, even though they were told it would cost the people in power actual money!
So, what is the governments reaction? To do their very best to make sure that can never happen again. They want total control, which means both controlling the flow of information, and knowing everything about everyone, so they can keep the population nice and compliant. In other words, those in control are escalating, rather than learning from their mistake - they are doubling down on their losses.
The only sane solution for the general population is to double down on telling them no. Not through such ridiculous means as protest or debate, and of course not through any form of violence - that is just giving more control to those in power as they make the majority think they need more protection.
The solution is to keep doing exactly what they don't want you to - and that is voting AGAINST them, removing career politicians from office whenever and where ever possible. Unfortunately that is going to mean voting for some idiots - but the important thing to do is to vote for idiots that wont be able to hold on to power - ones who talk too much, dont have lots of friends in high places, etc.
Very sad, but thats what democracy has degenerated to - mostly because of a lack of limitations in place to stop politicians continuously growing their power.
Those in control need to know that the majority wont support their carefully crafted 'you need us, give us more power over you' story.
And how do they plan to convince the rest of the world to give them control over the internet? Oh right, they aren't planning to control the internet, they are planning to cut England off of it. But that doesn't sound as catchy I guess.
We have a government-controlled internet in the US, too. It's just not controlled by our government.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Will shitheads please stop conflating things that aren't related to each other? "Right wingers" often care about free speech, especially in regards to refuting government control! It's fuckers like you from both artificial "sides" of politics, that conflate shit to make politics into a fucking football match, that stop "Lefists" and "Right wingers" from banding together to stop this sort of dystopian, rights-squandering, stupid government overreach from happening. When it gets through, it will be because people like YOU won't agree on this issue because you are too busy pigeonholing people you disagree with on other issues as the dreaded Other!
China, Iran, Russia and Turkey for this kind of innovations. It would be sad and ironic if UK will join this elite club.
I usually sell good advice. Actually, that's my job. This one is just for you, and it's free: Don't even try.
In the end, what you will get if you actually go through with your plan is heaps of cost, very little gain and lots and lots of pissed off people who break any law you try to make in this area with impunity. And, to make matters worse, you create a society that doesn't take you or your state serious anymore when it comes to its ability to pass sensible laws.
What you're heading for is essentially what fell the East Bloc: That the people you are trying to govern do not believe in your ability to govern anymore. Now, in a truly democratic society, this problem can be solved: You'll be voted out and someone who the people believe in gets voted in. Sadly, this option is not really a viable one anymore since whoever would get voted in would only continue to abuse the system you are trying to create just as much as you do.
What people do in such a case is to simply create a society outside yours. A parallel society that lives with your laws, but basically ignore them. And such societies rarely stop at ignoring those laws that they (rightfully) identified as evil, useless and detrimental. The problem with such parallel societies is that once they start breaking laws, they cannot rely on your legal system and executive anymore to protect them against breaking other laws.
Mrs. May, don't make the same mistake the East Bloc made. You still have a working country, despite your government, don't squander that.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.