Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

The US is moving in the same general direction, even if they take slightly different measures. The universal tracking of everyone is something all these governments can suddenly agree on.

If after this is enacted the firewalls aren't perfect, the internet will probably instead splinter into the Westernet and the everywhere-else-net for the rest of the countries that are too disorganized or uncaring to join in on the fun, maybe with a few safe havens of something resembling the old web in between.



Governments are not unified bodies, and attempts to introduce thought control on the internet have failed in the US, but easily passed in the UK. Illinois has recently passed a toothless age verification law and it's being hotly debated, but the UK is arresting people over facebook posts.

It doesn't really matter what is being done, what matters is the trend that countries are moving in. The UK started on a more authoritarian baseline than the US, so their laws are more restrictive. But by and large, everyone is moving in the direction of more control, and there's no reversal in sight. That's not to mention how big the disparity can be between individual US states, many of which are far more extreme than Illinois in anything they do.

They don't need universal international cooperation - sufficient cooperation is enough for their goals, and they may get it this time.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: