The Internet is a vast source of information and that creates a dilemma: what kind of information and who can have the access to it? Should we impose any sort of censorship or restrictions to what kind of information should be available? If yes, who then, how and to what extent?

First let’s ponder over who actually owns the Internet:  

Nobody or everybody?

On the one hand, there are organizations that decide on how the Internet's structure looks like and how it works, but they don't own the Internet itself. On the other hand, the Internet consists of a myriad of different bits and pieces, each of which has an owner. Some of these owners can control the level of access we have to the Internet and can have a powerful influence on our experience of it.

Internet Censorship in China - FB blocked

  Have governments the right to control the
  information flow?

  The People's Republic of China has 
  introduced laws and administrative  
  regulations to implement censorship
  systems. The governmental authorities have
  the right to block website contents and
  monitor the Internet access of individuals:

                                                

 

Protests Against New Anti-Piracy Laws

On Sunday, February 12 in many European countries there were staged protests against implementation of EU-wide anti-piracy legislation, so called ACTA  - the Anticounterfeiting Trade Agreement, which was signed on January 26 by the EU. The legislation aims to thwart copyright piracy in entertainment, fashion, pharmaceuticals and computer software but the opponents see the legislation as a threat against Internet freedoms

The European legislation is similar to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), an anti-piracy bill introduced by the US Congress in October 2011 to stop online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods.

                                             Hillary Clinton's speech on Internet Freedom

                                             

                                                                    Criticism of SOPA

                 

Should we let anyone publish any sort of information on the Internet or should we agree to imposed limitations?