CNJ's comments for people who hate disqus, The spread of information networks is forming a...

The spread of information networks is forming a new nervous system for our planet. When something happens in Haiti or Hunan the rest of us learn about it in real time - from real people. And we can respond in real time as well. Americans eager to help in the aftermath of a disaster and the girl trapped in that supermarket are connected in ways that we weren’t a generation ago. That same principle applies to almost all of humanity. As we sit here today, any of you - or any of our children - can take out tools we carry with us every day and transmit this discussion to billions across the world.

In many respects, information has never been so free. There are more ways to spread more ideas to more people than at any moment in history. Even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable.

We need to create a world in which access to networks and information brings people closer together, and expands our definition of community.

“

—

Hillary Clinton on internet freedom, January 21 | Foreign Policy

Pre-WikiLeaks. Boom.

(via david-noel)

vruz: the internet is good when it brings down communists, and other types of government the U.S. doesn’t like. internet considered harmful when it exposes U.S. government dirty laundry. secrecy hides the dark side that would otherwise be considered hipocrisy. asymmetry of information. exceptionalism understood as the U.S. government being the only government you can trust. but the only exceptionalism possible under the rule of law, is that which is exceptionally secret. peeking underneath Lady Liberty’s skirt is an ugly sight.

(via vruz)

Just reblogging for the lulz. I wonder if someone can dig up a “If you didn’t want people to know about it, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place” big brother quote. Remember, it isn’t the US doing stupid and embarrassing stuff that is a security threat to the US. It is you telling people that we did stupid and embarrassing stuff. Darn foreigners publishing our secrets on the internets.