Net censorship spreads worldwide

Net censorship spreads worldwide
By Mark Ward
Technology Correspondent, BBC News website



The report names China as the most active net censor
Repressive regimes are taking full advantage of the net's ability to censor and stifle reform and debate, reveals a report.

Written by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) pressure group the report highlights the ways governments threaten the freedom of the press.

The report has a section dedicated to the internet and the growing roster of nations censoring online life.

This censorship is practised on every continent on Earth, said the report.

Power play

Although the internet is changing the way the media works as blogs, chat forums and social networking sites turn passive consumers into active critics, it is not just citizens who are taking advantage of its technological power warned the report.

Julien Pain - who heads the internet freedom desk at the RSF and was one of the report's authors, noted: "Everyone's interested in the internet - especially dictators".

Mr Pain said the world's dictators have not remained powerless in the face of the explosion of online content. By contrast, many have been "efficient and inventive" in using the net to spy on citizens and censor debate.

More @ http://tinyurl.com/qu4dy BBC

As the article points out its not just the 2 for quarter dictators who want to censor the Net its all the powers that be. There are calls in the US for Net censorship for everything from political blogs to porn sites. Neither politics or religion do well in the light of day. Remember its not what the truth is that counts, its what the powers that be say is the truth that counts. You can't trust any government as far as you can throw them.

No censorship ever for anything, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.