WebProNews

In some cases, the phrase, "to serve AND protect" simply don't go together as well as they should. The Internet is a good case in point.

Absolultely nothing since the advent of standardized languages (in the 1600's) has propelled intellectual and financial equity further than the Internet has. As the last truly free-speech and free-thought arena in western society, the Internet has brought economic and information benefits to every corner of the globe (with the notable exception of NKorea and a few other repressive regimes).

The 'net has made it easy to far more people to learn, grow and share information. It has also presented economic opportunties in places that had few to none before.  It grew so fast because it was free of the over-burden of regulation.

At the same time, no communications medium has made being a public asshole simpler (with the notable exception of evangilist television). Harassement and threats abound for public figures on the Internet and bullying of other Internet users has never been easier. We all know the story of the young teenage girl pushed to suicide when taunted by the mother of one of her peers.

Two weeks ago, Webcology on WebmasterRadio (http://www.webmasterradio.fm/Search-Engine-Optimization/Webcology/Internet-Bullying.htm) covered the harassement of two Wikipedia administrators. The next day, my employer received a harassing email suggesting I was a fool, one designed to threaten my employment. The guy who sent it had been outed as a Wikipedia harasser in a different forum long ago.

Regulation of the Internet is NOT going to work any better than the enforcement of the laws currently on the books. Adding more laws does little to curb the enthusiasm of malicious malcontents. Refining and expanding current laws to include the digital medium might look good on paper but we all know that digital mediums work far differently than print, though they share common characteristics.

Nevertheless, something has to be done. Good Internet workers are being forced away from their good works by threats, harassement and intimidation. There is very little law enforcement can do about it as the legal community is still getting a grasp on the implications of the Internet.

The choice, a free range zone that has brought prosperity and intellectual growth to billions over a policed zone that will try to continue to do the same but will be a bit slower and more litigious. 

The Internet should continue to serve. Its users should learn to protect themselves. Everytime we rely on the hand of government to do it for us, something wicked comes of the effort. Difficult choices indeed.

So where did these stats come from?  Out of a hat or thin air?