The Internet Under Siege

["Charles Brown" <CharlesB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Internet Under Siege

   Who owns the Internet? Until recently, nobody. That's
   because, although the Internet was "Made in the
   U.S.A.," its unique design transformed it into a
   resource for innovation that anyone in the world
   could use. Today, however, courts and corporations
   are attempting to wall off portions of cyberspace. In
   so doing, they are destroying the Internet's
   potential to foster democracy and economic growth
   worldwide.

By Lawrence Lessig
<http://www.foreignpolicy.com/issue_novdec_2001/lessig.html>

The Internet revolution has ended just as surprisingly
as it began. None expected the explosion of creativity
that the network produced; few expected that explosion
to collapse as quickly and profoundly as it has. The
phenomenon has the feel of a shooting star, flaring
unannounced across the night sky, then disappearing just
as unexpectedly. Under the guise of protecting private
property, a series of new laws and regulations are
dismantling the very architecture that made the Internet
a framework for global innovation.

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