Congress Grabs For Internet Control

To the Editor:

A new proposal has been submitted by Congress, which allows them to take control over the Internet, with complete autonomy, which can give the federal government complete freedom to censor the Internet.

Basically, you all remember the whole PIPA/SOPA fiasco from a few months ago. Well, we knew they’d be back once the initial furor died down. Behold, CISPA, the 100 times worse bill. (http://rt.com/usa/news/cispa-bill-sopa-internet-175/)

In effect, what CISPA is trying to do is take the new Arizona Internet Censorship law and taking it to unheard of heights. The way the law is written gives the government the right to censor, basically, anything and everything on the Internet that it deems is “disruptive or offensive” to government or business.

*You want to use Facebook or Twitter to organize an otherwise legal protest? Well, it’s inherently disruptive, therefore can be censored.

*You and a partner want to create a business that competes with another business, maybe one that has strong government ties? Well, that’s disruptive, so therefore censored.

*The government will have the authority to access, read, and preemptively censor, without any due process or oversight, basically anything you write, if it wants to. E-mails, social media, hell, MMO-Champion forums.

*It does not matter if the intent of the law is this, or even if the law stands up to the unquestionable challenges it will face. The fact of the matter is Congress is even considering this bill, let alone having written it.

This is not a joke. This is not some make-believe fairy tale that doesn’t affect you. A law like this, if it became the law of the land, affects each and every single one of us in today’s society. You can do two things: ignore it and hope it doesn’t bother you (the head in the sand technique), or you can spread the word far and wide to everyone and anyone, and pester them to write letter after letter after letter to their lawmakers expressing that we do not want censorship of any kind. You need to write to your lawmakers, ten letters a day if you have to, until you get a response. Make a meeting with them as is your right as a citizen and force them to explain why the government should be able to read and censor your e-mails discussing your dissatisfaction with the tax code, or how you can make a better software company than Microsoft.

We need to stop being ignorant. Instead of worrying about Kim Kardashian’s cup size or how Tim Tebow got screwed, we need to start taking control of our government before it reaches the point of no return (assuming it already hasn’t [read Citizens United case, a whole other topic]).

Wake up, people! We each can make a difference, by doing something. Do not be sheep!

www.house.gov

www.senate.gov

Make your voice heard! If you don’t, the government will gladly shut you up for you.

Liam Heller

16 Diamond Drive, Newtown                                           April 4, 2012