Outrageous Proposal: Totalitarian Power versus Personal Freedom
August 29, 2009
I read a very alarming news article this morning. Proposed bipartisan senate legislation would give the President of the United States the ability to “turn off” the Internet at his discretion.
President Obama clearly understands the power of the Internet. He set a precedent and used the emerging world of social media to run an outstanding campaign. Without a doubt, President Obama understands that the Internet is becoming an absolutely integral component to exercising our freedoms.
Social media gives power to the people in a way that has never been done before. Social media creates a way for the little guy to topple giants, as we recently observed with David Carroll and United Airlines. (If you haven’t read this posting, click on the link, because you really need to).
This same President who used the power of social media to masterfully win this past election now seemingly wants to harness and exercise absolute control over this power. There are certainly some controversial discussions and issues surrounding some of President Obama’s policies. These discussions are healthy, necessary, and ultimately beneficial for our country. However, nothing has alarmed me quite as much as the proposed Cybersecurity Act of 2009.
We see consumers participating, talking, and sharing content with each other and with businesses. Our world is emerging into this new era of virtual socialization, and these trends are continuing at an even faster pace.
This proposed bipartisan senate legislation would give the President the ability to “turn off” the Internet. In our converging world, turning off the Internet means that we are cut off economically, informationally, and socially from other countries, but also from our local banks, libraries, doctors, and many friends.
This proposed legislation does exactly what our founding fathers tried to avoid in building our constitution. It would essentially give one person (the President) total control over our information, over our newsfeeds, over our ability to express opinions, over our ability to transact business, and over our ability to communicate with the outside world.
Yet, I wholeheartedly believe that this Cybersecurity Act of 2009 has the potential to create a totalitarian state. I absolutely believe that giving one person so much power and control is exactly what our government was designed to prevent. We the people need to stand up and be heard!
If you agree with me, let your voice be heard as well… Please respond to this blog and voice your opinion!
Written by: Steven J. Horvath
Follow me on Twitter: @Stesco / @TheSocialG
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I read a very alarming news article this morning. Proposed bipartisan senate legislation would give the President of the United States the ability to “turn off” the Internet at his discretion.
| As taken from this FoxNews article: “A Senate bill would offer President Obama emergency control of the Internet and may give him a "kill switch" to shut down online traffic by seizing private networks -- a move cybersecurity experts worry will choke off industry and civil liberties.” Of everything I have read in the past six months, this may in fact be one of the most alarming news clips that I have seen. It would seem as though President Obama wants complete control of the Internet, which today encompasses our first amendment rights. |
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President Obama clearly understands the power of the Internet. He set a precedent and used the emerging world of social media to run an outstanding campaign. Without a doubt, President Obama understands that the Internet is becoming an absolutely integral component to exercising our freedoms.
Social media gives power to the people in a way that has never been done before. Social media creates a way for the little guy to topple giants, as we recently observed with David Carroll and United Airlines. (If you haven’t read this posting, click on the link, because you really need to).
This same President who used the power of social media to masterfully win this past election now seemingly wants to harness and exercise absolute control over this power. There are certainly some controversial discussions and issues surrounding some of President Obama’s policies. These discussions are healthy, necessary, and ultimately beneficial for our country. However, nothing has alarmed me quite as much as the proposed Cybersecurity Act of 2009.
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We are absolutely seeing these trends of convergence continue as the Internet has become the most important aspect of a globally connected communication hub. Newspapers are going online. Television is migrating into on-demand Internet based programming. Phone and voice communications are digital and voice over IP (VoIP) means that a large number of our phones are now Internet based. Traditional media is converging into this world of new media. Advertising is migrating in mass towards social media. And, commerce is almost entirely Internet based today. |
We see consumers participating, talking, and sharing content with each other and with businesses. Our world is emerging into this new era of virtual socialization, and these trends are continuing at an even faster pace.
This proposed bipartisan senate legislation would give the President the ability to “turn off” the Internet. In our converging world, turning off the Internet means that we are cut off economically, informationally, and socially from other countries, but also from our local banks, libraries, doctors, and many friends.
This proposed legislation does exactly what our founding fathers tried to avoid in building our constitution. It would essentially give one person (the President) total control over our information, over our newsfeeds, over our ability to express opinions, over our ability to transact business, and over our ability to communicate with the outside world.
| As quoted from Fox News: Senator “Rockefeller, who introduced the bill in April with bipartisan support, said the legislation was critical to protecting everything from water and electricity to banking, traffic lights and electronic health records.” It is true that critical systems are becoming Internet based and interconnected. I absolutely agree with the need to protect these systems from cyber-threats. Our systems need to be protected with adequate security and redundancy. We need to ensure that we can isolate and eliminate terrorist threats. |
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Yet, I wholeheartedly believe that this Cybersecurity Act of 2009 has the potential to create a totalitarian state. I absolutely believe that giving one person so much power and control is exactly what our government was designed to prevent. We the people need to stand up and be heard!
If you agree with me, let your voice be heard as well… Please respond to this blog and voice your opinion!
Written by: Steven J. Horvath
Follow me on Twitter: @Stesco / @TheSocialG
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Comment
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Comment by Nevets on September 1, 2009 at 1:07pm -
Slick Willie, Great Point about the Patriot Act! There is indeed some infringement upon our freedom here, but there are also some distinctions as well. I want to make three points in response to your commentary. First, while the Patriot Act does infringe upon our rights, it does not give total power to one individual. For details about these specific infringements, click here.
Second, the Internet is the backbone for all communication today – turning this off is the same as what China and Iran try to do with censorship. This really creates the framework for a totalitarian state at some point in the future.
Third, this Internet “Kill Switch” is a bi-partisan bill – my point is not to create partisan politics, but rather to create awareness. I for one have had enough of the garbage politics coming out of Washington DC on both sides of the fence. I simply want to educate my fellow Americans about the dangers that lie in the wait – especially with the latest movements away from free enterprise.
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Comment by The Social Gathering on August 31, 2009 at 2:14pm - The Senate is calling it an "Internet Kill Switch". This is not an "Internet Kill Switch", this is a "Democracy Kill Switch"! I will not be muzzled, it is my right as an American citizen!
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Comment by John on August 31, 2009 at 11:55am - I am outraged at the fact that the govenment wants to control the internet. Not only is the internet necessary for business, banking and communication, it is our access to what is happening in the world. What is being proposed is censoring our access to this information. It is an infringement on our first amendment rights. This is what countries like China do (look at what was going on at the Olympics). I am thankful for the fact that we have access to the internet and social media sites where we, the people, can voice our displeasure. And to think that this is a bi-partisan bill is mind boggling. It has been said that "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
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Comment by Nevets on August 31, 2009 at 8:47am
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Pamela, Thanks for the comment. I was feeling the same way a few months ago. But, I work in this world of "social media". I see the power of the people every day!!! The blog I mentioned about David Carroll and United Airlines demonstrates the shift in power from the large, corporate, government structure back to the people!
This is a peaceful way to share and be heard. At the core, I believe it is about awareness. I hate to say it, but most people are still oblivious and apathetic - it is about educating and providing great sources of information. It is about passion. We still elect our officials, and our best hope is to help educate our friends and neighbors and unite together. The Internet is the backbone of this ability to unite in mass today, and that is why it is so critical to prevent any kind of totalitarian control. Get your friends to join Slungle and let's share in this content creation / awareness!
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Comment by Pamela Christian on August 31, 2009 at 8:32am - It's one thing for us to talk about all the horrors that are indeed taking place. I wholly agree with Lorie Rae Martin. Now, what action can we take to regain the power that "We the people" still legally have? I write my congressmen and senators and more regularly. Obama and his "pocket people" are all about control and elitism. Why do you think there's such an effort to limit availble ammunition for purchase? Oh we still have our right to bear arms but "they" control the ammunition. Northern CA where hunting is a normal way of life has had NO available ammunition for months. Yea, they are up in arms over it but...
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Comment by Lori Rae Martin on August 29, 2009 at 11:45am -
Yes --- I heard about this yesterday. In defense of this outrage they have been saying it's best for our National Security?! Yeah. Right.
The loss of our America as we know it, is changing right before our eyes. 60% of Americans define themselves as non-Liberal. What we need is for more to say that, take action, and help in fighting this take-over.
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