China has just implemented a policy that all Internet users must register with the police and sign an agreement promising not to harm the country, transmit pornography, or do anything illegal. A German parliamentary commission recently called for international Internet controls against material harmful to children. They even were considering whether online providers like CompuServe can be held responsible for pornography or neo-Nazi propaganda obtained through their services. There is now debate over sex, politics, and the Internet in Hong Kong, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other places. It comes down to this.
Information is power and, until recently, only a few people held that power.
Governments and major media moguls controlled the flow of information. And now it is in the hands of the people. Almost anyone in the world, with a computer, modem, and telephone line, can promote their viewpoint to the world. I am not at all surprised that there was little mainstream media coverage on these aspects of the telecom reform bill. They have the most to lose.