Make Your Voice Heard

Although my name is not currently showing on the map at the time I took the snapshot I guarantee you that I am in there among those that made our voices heard. I am happily buried within the current 1,778,840 other users that have taken action to keep the internet free and open as it should be.

Internet As We Know It

What the heck am I babbling about you ask? Today, and since late November, there has been a link from the Google homepage to petition the ITU (The International Telecommunication Union)  talks that will be happening. All behind closed doors and without any input from those of us that actually understand and care about the future of the internet and shared information.

The petition is more about the way government wants to use the ITU conference to add new rules and governing bodies, when in reality its not the place to do such a thing. My understanding is that the petition is not to directly petition the ITU, but more the way that its being used for specific agendas that do not belong there.

If their ideas were to become law, the internet would become useless for the most part. Instead of it working the way we currently know and love, the dinosaurs in government would set rules that censor and regulate information as we know it. So what they would have done is use the ITU conference to re-negotiate a decades-old communications treaty and do with it what they see fit, bullshxt!.

What's At Stake

According to the stats on Google's page, over 2 billion people are connected to one another and therefore have the ability to share ideas, information or whatever they choose without any form of government dictating what they can or cant say, do and share. Because of this sharing, there is a growing backlash on Internet freedom. Forty-two countries filter and censor content already. In just the last two years, governments have enacted 19 new laws threatening online free expression

Some of the proposals would allow governments to censor speech or even allow them to cut off Internet access if and when they deemed "necessary". Other proposals would require services like YouTube, Facebook, and Skype to pay crazy fees in order to reach people across borders. This would essentially limit access to information, especially in new or growing markets.

The stats previously written and not entirely my own words but paraphrased from the information that I have found on the subject. I could easily go on for hours about this and the amount of data to be found would be mind boggling. Its up to the individual internet users, you, to do the right thing and stand up, use your voice and show your support.

What Can Be Done, What Is Being Done

Internet users around the globe are standing up to keep these freedoms intact. Users, experts and organizations from around the world have already voiced their opposition to governments regulating the Internet by means of the ITU and are now using their voice to helping spread the word so others will do the same. Its infectious and for good reason!

Obviously the link at the end of the next paragraph may be outdated and possibly lead to a 404 Error of some sort once the ITU has ended but I wanted to add it to my blog just in case someone happens upon it and wants to add their voice as well before its too late, please do! 

Pledge Your Support For A Free And Open Internet

The following was taken from the page where you have the opportunity to "add your voice". I felt it was necessary to get the "do the right thing" juices flowing for those that may be on the fence about showing some support.

"A free and open world depends on a free and open Internet. Governments alone, working behind closed doors, should not direct its future. The billions of people around the globe who use the Internet should have a voice."

Show your support by clicking on the following:  Make Your Voice Heard

Almost Out

A relatively short post today and on top of it, one that is not filled entirely with my own personal daily happenings. Although I felt my topic to be a very important one. Think about it, if the internet was not free and open tomorrow then only those that were "allowed" to read this could. How fucked up would that be? Oops, foul language in the form of "fucked up". I bet typing that into something public would get me censored somewhere had I said it in the "walled garden internet" the dinosaurs in government are proposing.

I could go on and on but I wont. Honestly its about all I have time to rabble about today anyhow so it worked out perfectly, almost as-planned. Without the free internet topic this entry might have consisted of a random photo and a paragraph of Lorem Ipsum. For those of you that think that would have been more interesting, you can kiss my ass. Sorry, I have to get as many swear words in as I can "just in case" some of you are still too chicken-shxt to make your voice heard! and we lose the internet as we know it.

Out

I am happy to say that it has been a busy Monday and I don't see it letting up anytime soon. Slower days are nice, but getting shxt done and having fun is how I would rather spend a day at "work" making games. More importantly, while I still have some time and energy I want to make it to the gym to get in my daily cardio session and strength training. Both of which help me refocus for the second half of the day.

Photo: Map of those that are standing up for internet freedom