The European Union Targets Bloggers and The Internet

The governments of many countries within the European Union have agreed to target those who "spread propaganda" via the Internet in the form of blogs and websites. Home Secretary Reid is one of the figure heads in this proposal. Even though it would cost the European Union billions of dollars to attack bloggers, it is a strategy that is steadily pushing forward. While the proposal is supposedly made to fight against terrorists, many users feel that it can also be used to stifle the progress of bloggers who are looking to spread useful news and information. However, those in the United States who think this will not affect them are wrong.

The Bush administration has made similar efforts to curb what they see as a threat from terrorism over the web. Michael Chertoff, one of the top figures in the Department of Homeland Security, has stated that the Internet can be a recruiting ground for terrorists. While this may be very true, there is a strong possibility that the neutrality of the Internet could be endangered if politicians are given the power to heavily regulate it. As you should know, the Internet is the growth of an impressive economy. Some have even said that the Internet is the last true democracy left in the world. No matter what side of the political spectrum you're on, it is likely that you use the Internet on a daily basis. Many of you who are webmasters will use it to earn a living.

If this situation describes you, the proposal by the EU and US government to regulate the Internet should be a cause of concern. In the name of security, the government can easily take away the freedoms that we have grown so accustomed to. It is important for the online community to get together and fight against government regulation and the death of net neutrality. Once the Internet loses its ability to remain neutral, the growth of the online industry will be significantly reduced. This is something that none us can allow. We must make it clear to our governments that we wish to maintain the neutrality of the Internet, and it should not be sacrificed in the name of security.

The news of proposals for governments to more heavily regulate the Internet is not new. However, the EU has recently proposed legislation to ban the use of video sharing sites such as You Tube and Google Video. This in my opinion is a serious problem. If people are not allowed to upload videos, how can we call the societies they live in free? In reality, the Internet is the bane of governments; institutions that at one time had full control over the flow of information. Even though the Internet of today is based on ARPANET, a military tool, the government did not realize its potential, and allowed it to reach the hands of the masses. It has now grown into a beacon of freedom, a beacon that is not easy to control.