The Internet has the potential to usher in an era of global democracy and communication without borders. Open, decentralized, abundant, inexpensive, user-controlled and interactive, it is the first medium that allows anyone, anywhere to find or create communities of interest, to publish to audiences around the world, to engage in global commerce, and to participate in government and civil society across borders of time and distance. Yet it is unclear how much of the Internet's democratic potential will be achieved.
Governments tout the Internet, but worry that it undermines their traditional authority.
The private sector sees the economic potential, but remains uncertain about the technology's implications for competition and openness. Users bring their social aspirations to the Internet, but also their potential for antisocial behavior. In the wake of the digital revolution, society is now writing the constitution that will govern the Internet's future. The struggle to establish the rules of cyberspace is intense. The Center for Democracy and Technology was founded in 1994 to ensure that democratic values and constitutional liberties are indeed a central feature of the new digital age.