The US government’s policy of leaving the Internet alone is over

[pokerfan]

The US government’s policy of leaving the Internet alone is over, according to Obama’s top official at the Department of Commerce.

Instead, an “Internet Policy 3.0” approach will see policy discussions between government agencies, foreign governments, and key Internet constituencies, according to Assistant Secretary Larry Strickling, with those discussions covering issues such as privacy, child protection, cybersecurity, copyright protection, and Internet governance.

The outcomes of such discussions will be “flexible” but may result in recommendations for legislation or regulation, Strickling said in a speech at the Media Institute in Washington this week.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/27/internet_3_dot_0_policy

[aquart]

1. Bleh.

[DJ13]

2. I will never mistake Obama for a real liberal ever again

Theres so many policies relating to attempts to regulate peoples actions by this WH I sometimes swear the GOP is still in charge.

[Arkana]

3. If you honestly thought the government EVER "left the Internet alone"

then you were not paying attention.

[Champion Jack]

4. yup

[pokerfan]

5. Well, that's really the point, isn't it?

Reminds me of an episode of That 70s Show (when it was still funny) where Red finds out the kids are smoking dope, goes on a rampage and declares that "As of now, fun time is over!"

Eric: "Where was I for fun time?"

If the nineties and 'naughties' were the government 'leaving the internet alone' and Obama wants to change that, then what the hell is the future going going to look like?

[tom_paine]

7. Gonna look a lot like the past.

[cliffordu]

8. Yep.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Ummm ... didn't the US gov't invent the Internet, through DARPA?

How does that qualify as "leaving it alone" in the first place?