...... and did some assignments
depressing things and a wish list
Response to
Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber Dissidents (Reporters Without Borders)
Burma's Cyber-Dissidents (BBC)
“Web sites...must get content from China’s state-controlled media since site operators may not publish previously unreleased information on the Internet without permission. ” (ICHRDD)
Chilling stuff. Masses of people are having their internet thoroughly censored, often with the cooperation of American corporations (Reporters Without Borders, 44-45). The idea of having to blog through a proxy server is depressing. The idea of being thrown in jail for expressing an unpopular opinion is even more depressing. Facing the death penalty for bringing news to light? Also depressing. In short, then, the state of government response to free speech on the internet in much of the world: depressing.
Of course, Reporters Without Borders provides a wonderful guide for the inquiring dissident. Their Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents is packed with lots of inspirational success stories and handy tips for avoiding the scrutiny of heavy handed regimes. All of that is, of course, wonderful. It's fantastic to see that there are ways for people to get the truth out without being punished. I just wish that it weren't necessary.
I wish repressive governments wouldn't find it so necessary to control every aspect of their public image (in the developing and the developed world). I wish for a world in which Orwellian thought policing was not the norm. I wish (and this is the really clicheed one) we could all just get along. I wish that governments and corporations could make people their priority. I do not think that stripping people of their rights is at all productive.
We have two categories, then. There are the depressing facts stated by the three articles/guides referenced above, and there are the weary wishes of the previous paragraph. Unfortunately, I don't see any of the wishes coming true any time soon. I think that things will get worse before they can possibly get better. I think that the thought policing will become far more sophisticated. In response to that, circumvention measures will improve. In response to improved circumvention measures, policing will become harsher. I do not think that most governments have a good enough grasp of realism to give up. I think that the vicious circle will continue. More people will be jailed for expressing their beliefs. More enraged groups will march. More camera phone videos will be captured. More battles will be fought on YouTube. We won't all learn to get along. People will not become a priority any time soon. Governments will still care more about holding power and corporations will still care more about making as much money as possible. More and more of our rights will be taken away. What's worse is that in the western world, we'll happily give those rights away in exchange for new toys.
Fine, lovely, wonderful organizations like Reporters Without Borders will continue to make an effort. It remains to be seen, though, just how much of an impact that effort will have.