Week 5 EOC: Hands off MY internet

The internet today is one of the most used tools in the world in every area of business. Many use the internet for entertainment, which it can be, but the power of the "www." shouldn't be underestimated. As time continues not only are business's understanding the power of the internet, so is the government.  

1.) We’re in the middle of an epic battle for power in cyberspace. On one side are the traditional, organized, institutional powers such as governments and large multinational corporations. On the other are the distributed and nimble: grassroots movements, dissident groups, hackers, and criminals. Initially, the Internet empowered the second side. It gave them a place to coordinate and communicate efficiently, and made them seem unbeatable. But now, the more traditional institutional powers are winning, and winning big. How these two sides fare in the long term, and the fate of the rest of us who don’t fall into either group, is an open question—and one vitally important to the future of the Internet.


federal security puts the power in the hands of internet companies and like many before them act in self interest by using their relationship with the government to increase profits. The effect trickles all the way down to the Mass population. Facebook is no longer just a place to chat with college buddies, its a advertising battle field and government tracking system.

2.) There is more government surveillance than ever before. There is more government censorship than ever before. There is more government propaganda, and an increasing number of governments are controlling what their users can and cannot do on the Internet. Totalitarian governments are embracing a growing “cyber sovereignty” movement to further consolidate their power. And thecyberwar arms race is on, pumping an enormous amount of money into cyber-weapons and consolidated cyber-defenses, further increasing government power.
It is interesting to see in years to come the where it will end. As I do have anything to hide and don't care if the government knows I checked in at Panera Bread for a quick lunch, there has to be limits developed as the right of privacy is essential.



Citations:

1.)http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/the-battle-for-power-on-the-internet/280824/
2.)http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/the-battle-for-power-on-the-internet/280824/