International Implications for Global Democratization
Governments that try to squelch the new information technologies to protect their monopoly on power, do so essentially at the peril of economic growth.
Archives: Expert Predictions
International Implications for Global Democratization
Information revolution technologies enable citizens of prospective democracies to learn more about how other societies operate. If they discover that others living elsewhere live better thanks to democratic governance, they are likely to seek democratization. At the same time, information revolution technologies empower citizens anywhere to broadcast charges that their own governments have violated inalienable human rights. Thus, world pressure can be brought to bear against repressive regimes unable to hide their misdeeds as successfully as before.
International Implications for Global Democratization
Interconnectivity positively correlates with democracy at high levels of significance … Smaller size and greater interconnectivity may similarly be conducive to democracy by facilitating coordinated civic action.
International Implications for Global Democratization
Formal and informal e-mail assist relationships in transcending national frontiers. Universal e-mail in the United States, with abundant international connections can help to spread the seeds of democracy even to nondemocratic lands. Global democratization is critically important to the future of democracy in America.
New Law Would be a Setback for Free Speech
What price do we pay for government regulation of speech on computer networks? … A chilling effect on the development of the technology itself. Online providers are likely to be more cautious in promoting the free flow of information if they believe they will land in federal court … Individuals and entrepreneurs will not take the risk of going online with new information or products with the heavy hand of government looming.
New Law Would be a Setback for Free Speech
By subjecting certain types of constitutionally protected speech on the Internet to criminal sanctions, these amendments could have a chilling effect on the free-speech rights of Americans using computer networks for communication. They could have a similar effect on the economic and technological development of this communications frontier.
Communications Decency Act
There are a number of well-intentioned people who shudder at the thought of passing any kind of legislation in this area. They are not bad people. I just do not think they fully understand, as I think I do, as I think nine out of 10 Americans do when they find out what is going on, on the information superhighway today … The worst, most vile, most perverse pornography is only a few click-click-clicks away from any child on the Internet … The fundamental purpose of the Communications Decency Act is to provide much-needed protection for children.
Communications Decency Act
Current laws, which clearly protect young and old users from harrassment and obscenity and indecency, are woefully out of date with this new challenge and this new opportunity. The current law is drafted in the technology, primarily, of the telephone, dating back to 1934. Our efforts today, and in the coming weeks, bring closer the day of technological convergence. Soon the concept of a telephone will be as relevant as today’s concept of the telegraph. The principles that I have proposed in the Communications Decency Act are simple and constitutional. Telecommunications devices should not be used to distribute obscenity, indecency to minors, or used to harass the innocent
Communications Decency Act
One of the things this Senator feels we should properly address, and will address and hopefully act on in a fair and reasonable fashion … is the matter of trying to clean up the Internet – or the information superhighway, as it is frequently called – to make that superhighway a safe place for our children and our families to travel on.
Will Censorship Muffle Internet?
The virtual version of 1960s protest marches has struck the Internet in the form of a nationwide mobilization against online censorship. Do they mark the Net’s potential coming of age? Or are we witnessing its premature demise from SIDS – Sudden Internet Death Syndrome?