via Defending an Open, Global, Secure, and Resilient Internet – Council on Foreign Relations.

Sorry, but I’m not entirely convinced that an “…open, global, secure and resilient internet…” is altogether a good thing…The focus of the statement “…to encourage a global cyberspace that reflects shared values of free expression and free markets…” clearly is focussed on the very quantifiable value of free markets that is, and apologies to ABBA “...money, money, money, it’s a rich man’s world“…

My concern is for the other ‘value’, that of free expression. Noting the eye-level parity with free markets, I think that it is safe to assume that this really means freedom to express opinions that we agree with and opposed to anything remotely resembling true freedom of expression – and that may not be a particularly bad thing. While the internet may be the best thing since canned oysters and sliced bread for communications, sharing information and, of course, commerce aka making money, it also promotes the facilitation of immoral and criminal activities, often without much in the way of check, balances or accountability. Its ‘everyone has a voice‘ philosophy also contributes to the general dumbing down of all of us because ‘if it was on the internet, it must be true‘….

Let’s just be careful what we really wish for…