And if the news media go for the flashy, trashy, stories and neglect the political meaning of the new technology, citizens and elected representatives will make important decisions in dangerous ignorance.
Communications technologies are political weapons.
Liberty and democracy, the fundamental freedoms patriots die for, are built upon open information and debate. Freedom of assembly, of speech, of the press are all political freedoms that concern the rights of citizens to communicate with one another. Right now, those rights are in danger and most citizens don't even know it. Porno on the Net is a sideshow. The main event, taking place far from the spotlight, is about who will control and profit from the new industry that network communication technology makes possible.