Some Thoughts about Internet Freedom

This entry is inspired by Hillary Clinton's speech at George Washington University on Internet Freedom, which I posted on my blog yesterday. I did that because I considered it a speech of substance, which may have lasting impacts on each of us in some ways, for it is thought-provoking and action-inspiring.

What is the Internet? A vast, open information space, or, to be more exact, a virtual information universe where everybody may have a share, but not all of them can fully understand, manage, or control its activities, structure, and development. It is as vast and as diverse as the physical universe and the species in it. Even Internet experts are not quite sure about the fast changing characteristics and the future trends of the Internet. It is like a big black hole swallowing us in where we are trying to fumble to grasp some ideas about it and about ourselves in it.

Then what is Internet freedom? According to Clinton, it is about defending this space against those who always stand against Internet openness and freedom of expression in cyberspace, those who always stifle or repress voices in that vast information and communication universe:

Liberty and security, transparency and confidentiality, freedom of expression and tolerance – these all make up the foundation of a free, open, and secure society as well as a free, open, and secure internet where universal human rights are respected, and which provides a space for greater progress and prosperity over the long run.

Thus the fight for Internet freedom is also a fight for freedom of expression,

a struggle for human rights... a struggle for human freedom, and... a struggle for human dignity.

So far, basically, the gatekeepers to the Internet have been search engines run by big companies such as Google, Yahoo!, Amazon, and many smaller ones. Should the Internet remain a neutral competition space following the free market or laissez- faire paradigm, without government interference? What is the role of governments in this virtual world?

There are three key issues related to all activities in cyberspace: Internet accessibility and sustainability, Internet information services, and internet telecommunication services. The stakeholders are customers or users, producers and/or deliverers, and law enforcers or policy makers. The government obviously plays the role of the law enforcer and the policy maker, but big companies also have their own rights and responsibilities in policy making. Thus, cooperation is a must for sustainability on the Internet.

According to Clinton, there are three grand challenges facing out times when we choose openness in the Internet: 1.finding the proper measure to enable freedom and liberty, and to maintain but not endanger security; 2.protecting transparency and confidentiality; 3.protecting free expression while fostering tolerance and civility. She emphasized the values of freedom of expression, transparency and security, and cost effectiveness of all economic, social, and political activities in the Internet, and enlisted all nations' help in the struggle for human freedom and dignity against the repression of human basic right --freedom of expression.