Watching some these in-progress revolutions happening in North Africa and the Middle, it's fascinating how easy it is to shine a light into the dark places today. I dislike the term "facebook revolution" because it demeans the people who are willing to take a stand against tyranny. People, not technology, cause revolutions. Technology is merely an enabler. It speeds up communication, often bypassing the traditional media altogether. How long did it take for news of the 1976 riots in South Africa to spread around the world? A day or two at least. Now it would happen in minutes. This is why the Internet is so valuable and why it needs to remain open.
Sadly the attacks on the Internet's openness are coming from authoritarian regimes as well as the supposedly free countries, such as the U.S. Anti-wikileaks campaigns. Domain seizures. This is how it starts. This is the thin edge of the wedge. Freedom is easy to lose. It's hard to win it back. Just ask anyone in any country in the midst of revolution right now.
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