Web freedom faces greatest threat ever, warns Google's Sergey Brin

Exclusive: Threats range from governments trying to control citizens to the rise of Facebook and Apple-style 'walled gardens'

The threat to the freedom of the internet comes, he claims, from a combination of governments increasingly trying to control access and communication by their citizens, the entertainment industry's attempts to crack down on piracy, and the rise of "restrictive" walled gardens such as Facebook and Apple, which tightly control what software can be released on their platforms.

Also from the article and for the sake of argument, of where this may all be stemming from.

Brin's criticism of Facebook is likely to be controversial, with the social network approaching an estimated $100bn (£64bn) flotation. Google's upstart rival has seen explosive growth: it has signed up half of Americans with computer access and more than 800 million members worldwide.

He also makes a point to call out Hollywood.

From the attempts made by Hollywood to push through legislation allowing pirate websites to be shut down, to the British government's plans to monitor social media and web use, the ethos of openness championed by the pioneers of the internet and worldwide web is being challenged on a number of fronts.

The bulk of the article is pretty convincing in that it gives precedence to the clock is ticking for the Internet as "we" know it. However, coming directly from this gentleman, in this direct of a fashion, brings a definitive air of realism to the current issue of closing or "walling in" an otherwise open Internet. Not just from Facebook, but the other major players mentioned within the article.

This section of the article makes it hit a little closer to home imo.

Brin acknowledged that some people were anxious about the amount of their data that was now in the reach of US authorities because it sits on Google's servers. He said the company was periodically forced to hand over data and sometimes prevented by legal restrictions from even notifying users that it had done so.

He said: "We push back a lot; we are able to turn down a lot of these requests. We do everything possible to protect the data. If we could wave a magic wand and not be subject to US law, that would be great. If we could be in some magical jurisdiction that everyone in the world trusted, that would be great … We're doing it as well as can be done."

Here is a link to the complete article

Guardian UK Source

The article is an interesting read, and for me brought to light just how many entities want to have control over our Internet. If the information that the people have access to has free reign, then those in power will have to play by the rules (in so many words).

Yep, it's time for a Constitutional Amendment or they're just going to keep pulling this BS. Many of you may think that's extreme but I for one value the freedom to gain knowledge through the internet and do not wish to see that vanish.

reply to post by Kali74

I for one value the freedom to gain knowledge through the internet

I second your stance.