Please, Dont Censor the Internet (Free Culture Revision)

Corporate interests are compromising the free culture of the Internet. The current commercial culture does not mesh well with the rapidly growing free culture of the Internet. However, because of recent actions taken by big business, the free culture is becoming more and more of a “permission” culture (Lessig 8). While the Internet has created an endless frontier in regards to sharing, convergence culture, and cultivating a new technological culture it has compromised the profits of big corporation.

As Lawrence Lessig maintains, the Internet is actually very good for consumers because it creates a much more competitive. However, big business’s such as RCA attempt to use the law to protect their profits and maintain smaller, less competitive markets. The battle between the free culture of the Internet and the profit seeking and greedy culture of big business is a conflict of piracy. While the history of content is essentially a history of piracy, big businesses are attempting to use law to inhibit the process of culture development (which inevitably will include some sort of piracy). While it is very important to protect the property of individuals it is equally important for new cultures to develop. Therefore it is necessary to find a balance between digital property rights and creative, free culture. However, recent legal actions taken by big business are compromising this balance.

Big business’s are currently attempting to blacklist the Internet by attempting to pass SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and the Protect IP act to limit the free culture of the Internet. This legislation, if passed, would shut down any website with stolen property. The list of sites even includes YouTube. This initiative will result in a monitored and censored Internet, void of free speech and culture. This legislation is similar to the current Internet censorship in China. As opposed to fighting the free culture of the Internet, big business must learn to embrace new technologies and work within a developing system. They are currently providing a disservice to society by refusing to accept free culture and maintain the old status quo.

An article on the legislation can be found here.

Lessing, Lawrence. “Introduction,” Free Culture