I'm starting to wonder when

[BacktoBasics]

the higher ups will begin to regulate and control larger portions of the internet. Now I'm not spouting off some conspiracy theories but there's an aweful lot of information and anti-american sentiment flooding the web. Its been a source for activists and deviants alike to centralize and become larger working models above and beyond single individuals with an opinion. Sounds kind of silly but if there ever was a revolt or uprising the stand would have to be organized online. Its the most logical place to attract masses in a short period of time.

I see a future where you will have to register your site with the government much like a business. Thousands of people will spend their days monitoring the internet for law breaking activities. The government will say that they're "creating jobs" but the reality is that they'll limit your ability to free speech though penalties and fines much like a speeding ticket. This seems plausable.

I don't see where the backing of Constitutional rights would come into play. Phone tappings, prisioner abuse, illegal search and seizure (drawing blood without consent ring a bell), Patriot Act...They've pretty much eliminated the need for probable cause because you can now be held without limit for no reason other than "suspected terrorist".

Anyone care to jump in and expand?

[I. Hustle]

http://compsci.ca/v3/uploads/user_avatars/1665843594662f4952a669.jpg

[ORION]

http://compsci.ca/v3/uploads/user_avatars/1665843594662f4952a669.jpg

:lol man that rabbit cracks me up every time but seriously the gov would want a piece of that dollar eventually

[exstatic]

B2B - While I agree with your assessment of our government taking a big butt wipe with the Constitution over the last 8 years, the internet can't be controlled or tamed by one government. See: China.

[I. Hustle]

http://pictureisunrelated.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/picture-unrelated.jpg

[MannyIsGod]

A simple connection to the internet is all you need to put a site up. I could turn my computer into a server in 2 seconds and host a site. Its pretty much impossible to regulate.

[BacktoBasics]

A simple connection to the internet is all you need to put a site up. I could turn my computer into a server in 2 seconds and host a site. Its pretty much impossible to regulate.The phone and cable lines are regulated how would that differ? They managed to control your ability to utilize a phone jack why not the internet?

[Dr. Gonzo]

The phone and cable lines are regulated how would that differ? They managed to control your ability to utilize a phone jack why not the internet?

But they don't regulate what is said over the phone line. Same goes with internet.

[Slomo]

A simple connection to the internet is all you need to put a site up. I could turn my computer into a server in 2 seconds and host a site. Its pretty much impossible to regulate.


Actually in a pure technical sense it's very easy to do. One solution is to take control of dns records/servers for a specific domain. You could still put up a site, but nobody would be able to find it.

Using the main routing nods it's actually possible to make IP numbers unavailable thus blocking sites from other domains.

Ex China is actually quite successful at controlling internet access for it citizens/residents.

[balli]

Shit, the UK's already getting the ball rolling. And... the name of the company escapes me at the moment, but there is a private company in Australia which electronically monitors the speech of every single American land line call.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4882600.ece

Government will spy on every call and e-mail
Ministers are considering spending up to £12 billion on a database to monitor and store the internet browsing habits, e-mail and telephone records of everyone in Britain.

GCHQ, the government’s eavesdropping centre, has already been given up to £1 billion to finance the first stage of the project.

Hundreds of clandestine probes will be installed to monitor customers live on two of the country’s biggest internet and mobile phone providers - thought to be BT and Vodafone. BT has nearly 5m internet customers.

Ministers are braced for a backlash similar to the one caused by their ID cards programme. Dominic Grieve, the shadow home secretary, said: “Any suggestion of the government using existing powers to intercept communications data without public discussion is going to sound extremely sinister.”

MI5 currently conducts limited e-mail and website intercepts which are approved under specific warrants by the home secretary.

Further details of the new plan will be unveiled next month in the Queen’s speech.

The Home Office stressed no formal decision had been taken but sources said officials had made clear that ministers had agreed “in principle” to the programme.

Officials claim live monitoring is necessary to fight terrorism and crime. However, critics question whether such a vast system can be kept secure. A total of 57 billion text messages were sent in the UK last year - 1,800 every second.

[MannyIsGod]

You ruined my day slomo.

[Slomo]

You ruined my day slomo.


I'm sorry :lol

Technically it's not difficult, I'm hoping that people wouldn't allow it to happen though (although you know that these measures would be sold to the public "for their protection").

[theInternet]

B2B sits around with too much time to think.

[balli]

Ex China is actually quite successful at controlling internet access for it citizens/residents.
So successful in fact, that Google China is self-imposing censorship measures in a co-operative effort with the Chinese on their 'Golden Shield Project'. Anybody wanna surf the censored Chinese Web?

http://www.google.cn/

[BacktoBasics]

We've created a society that needs to be catered to. We need our food served to us and we need it now, we need our cloths laundered and we need on demand TV so on and so forth. We've enabled ourselves to the point where it'll be nearly impossible to gather enough steam to make a sizable fight for freedom. I look at America like some would look at a dog...toss us a toy and we'll behave.

I'm going to take a stand right now.

[ididnotnothat]

Freedom is alive and well in the US of A for those of us who still cherish it.

[BacktoBasics]

Freedom is alive and well in the US of A for those of us who still cherish it.Slowly but surely our rights are being not only mismanaged but depleted and stripped away. You consider this a conspiracy theory?

[DarkReign]

Freedom is alive and well in the US of A for those of us who still cherish it.

...and that number is dwindling faster than national debt is rising.

[JoeChalupa]

I don't see that happening and you count me as one who cherishes his freedom.

[BacktoBasics]

I don't see that happening and you count me as one who cherishes his freedom.
So drawing blood without consent is ok. Holding you without the right to an attorney is ok. Phone tapping ok. Chipping your passports or IDs ok. Torturing prisoners of war ok. Income tax ok. Federal reserve interest rates out of control ok.

There is a pretty long list of examples that show a disregard for peoples rights including your own. How can you ignore that?

[JoeChalupa]

So drawing blood without consent is ok. Holding you without the right to an attorney is ok. Phone tapping ok. Chipping your passports or IDs ok. Torturing prisoners of war ok. Income tax ok. Federal reserve interest rates out of control ok.

There is a pretty long list of examples that show a disregard for peoples rights including your own. How can you ignore that?

Hey, now...I didn't vote for Bush. :lol

[BacktoBasics]

Hey, now...I didn't vote for Bush. :lolI don't think it matters who the President is. I don't see the pattern stopping.

[DarkReign]

I don't think it matters who the President is. I don't see the pattern stopping.

Hasnt mattered since Woodrow Wilson and was dealt its final blow in JFK.

Our freedoms will be in dire straits within 5 years. Book it.

[01.20.09]

Too many people are okay with giving up some of their rights to stop terrorism.

[DarkReign]

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."

-Benjamin Franklin

[JoeChalupa]

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."

-Benjamin Franklin

I knew that quote would be coming. :tu

[BacktoBasics]

Hasnt mattered since Woodrow Wilson and was dealt its final blow in JFK.

Our freedoms will be in dire straits within 5 years. Book it.Is society too lazy or to stupid to do anything about it?

[DarkReign]

Is society too lazy or to stupid to do anything about it?

I'll assume that was rhetorical.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

So drawing blood without consent is ok. Holding you without the right to an attorney is ok. Phone tapping ok. Chipping your passports or IDs ok. Torturing prisoners of war ok. Income tax ok. Federal reserve interest rates out of control ok.

There is a pretty long list of examples that show a disregard for peoples rights including your own. How can you ignore that?

Indeed. I'd like to add something though - you blame the government, and sure, they are directly responsible for these things, but who actually runs the government? Lobbies run Washington. The climate of fear and denial of many civil rights is being heavily influenced by the big business cabal that tells the government what to do, all in the name of the almighty $$$.

I think a lot of what you are seeing is about turning human beings into economic units, productive and docile. It's a big game of Monopoly, and the average citizen is just a poor sod who landed on Park Avenue with $25 to his name.

Oh, and it's happening all over the world, not just America. Corporations tell governments what to do, governments kow-tow to the almighty dollar and turn citizens into economic units, forgetting that they are actually meant to represent the interests of those citizens and not the corporations. It's a natural outgrowth of putting money before everything else, which is exactly what we've done for a couple of centuries now.

Sad and scary... and we need a revolution of the entire economic system to cure it (and no, I don't mean communism), but I'll leave that for now.

[The Final Countdown]

A simple connection to the internet is all you need to put a site up. I could turn my computer into a server in 2 seconds and host a site.

I take it you don't work for ESPN the Zone. :lmao

[CubanMustGo.]

Is society too lazy or to stupid to do anything about it?

Bush lasted 8 years w/o getting impeached you do the math.

[Bigzax]

good post ruff!!!

[CubanMustGo.]

good post ruff!!!


Homo alert!! :wow

[ShoogarBear]

It's been pretty much established: all you have to do is come up with a few sinister catchphrases to scare the population of this country and most will gladly let you take away rights in the name of protecting them.

[BacktoBasics]

Indeed. I'd like to add something though - you blame the government, and sure, they are directly responsible for these things, but who actually runs the government? Lobbies run Washington. The climate of fear and denial of many civil rights is being heavily influenced by the big business cabal that tells the government what to do, all in the name of the almighty $$$.

I think a lot of what you are seeing is about turning human beings into economic units, productive and docile. It's a big game of Monopoly, and the average citizen is just a poor sod who landed on Park Avenue with $25 to his name.

Oh, and it's happening all over the world, not just America. Corporations tell governments what to do, governments kow-tow to the almighty dollar and turn citizens into economic units, forgetting that they are actually meant to represent the interests of those citizens and not the corporations. It's a natural outgrowth of putting money before everything else, which is exactly what we've done for a couple of centuries now.

Sad and scary... and we need a revolution of the entire economic system to cure it (and no, I don't mean communism), but I'll leave that for now.100% agree. I'm not blaming the government they just happen to be the body of work that actually pulls the trigger. No doubt the elite control the inner workings of the world.

[JoeChalupa]

It's been pretty much established: all you have to do is come up with a few sinister catchphrases to scare the population of this country and most will gladly let you take away rights in the name of protecting them.

I concur.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Homo alert!! :wow

Maybe your fake-arsed, extra-period-having, prankster self should have a chat with my girlfriend? She'd assure you on no uncertain terms that I am straight, mouse.

BTW, what do you get out of being nasty to people through facades on the internet? Especially people who have defended you and always treated you well like myself? Very strange behaviour.




As for the topic of this thread, governments across the world have completely forgotten their role - ie. representing the PEOPLE, and especially people who do not have much power and cannot stick up for themselves. Instead, they have become lackies for BIG MONEY, and the rest of us be damned. It's a sad and pathetic state of affairs.