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Governments who do not allow the proper, open operation of the internet, should be banned from using it. Like it or not the Internet was created by Americans, i

Governments who do not allow the proper, open operation of the internet, should be banned from using it. Like it or not the Internet was created by Americans, it was nurtured with American ideals of freedom, and countries who refuse to allow those standards should be barred from participating. I think this would have a positive effect in the long run, the way economic sanctions sometimes work. A few years ago I'd never have proposed this.. but the willingness of second and third world governments to abuse the internet for their obviously crooked purposes has reached a fever pitch in recent months. slightly unrelated, but interesting, those same countries produce most of the world's spam and viruses. edit: I wonder if it'd be feasible to ban corrupt governments from the internet while allowing citizens access.

krapp 10y ago
> Like it or not the Internet was created by Americans, it was nurtured with American ideals of freedom, and countries who refuse to allow those standards should be barred from participating. And it's been undermined by Americans, and been corrupted into a platform for American surveillance and cultural propaganda, thanks to the NSA and CIA. The thing is, Putin sounds like a raving loon for saying things like "the internet is a CIA project," but he's not entirely wrong. The US created one of the greatest tools for freedom, communication and expression the world has ever known... and it's been been trying ever since to burn it down and plant the Stars and Stripes in the ashes.
- simbalion 10y ago
  Compared to other countries, entirely in my head and not in any scientific way, I think America has a better track record than some of protecting the internet from tyrannical government agents.
ScroogeMcDoug 10y ago
Blocking an entire country from accessing infrastructure in other countries would only help these authoritarian nations foster nationalism.
- simbalion 10y ago
  if I understand your statement, I think I agree. That's why I adjusted my comment to suggest banning only the governments of those nations, while allowing the private citizenry to continue to have access. That would certainly be challenging to do, but I believe it would be possible.

krapp 10y ago

> Like it or not the Internet was created by Americans, it was nurtured with American ideals of freedom, and countries who refuse to allow those standards should be barred from participating. And it's been undermined by Americans, and been corrupted into a platform for American surveillance and cultural propaganda, thanks to the NSA and CIA. The thing is, Putin sounds like a raving loon for saying things like "the internet is a CIA project," but he's not entirely wrong. The US created one of the greatest tools for freedom, communication and expression the world has ever known... and it's been been trying ever since to burn it down and plant the Stars and Stripes in the ashes.

simbalion 10y ago
Compared to other countries, entirely in my head and not in any scientific way, I think America has a better track record than some of protecting the internet from tyrannical government agents.

ScroogeMcDoug 10y ago

Blocking an entire country from accessing infrastructure in other countries would only help these authoritarian nations foster nationalism.

simbalion 10y ago
if I understand your statement, I think I agree. That's why I adjusted my comment to suggest banning only the governments of those nations, while allowing the private citizenry to continue to have access. That would certainly be challenging to do, but I believe it would be possible.