Iran is cracking down on Internet Freedom:

In the most sweeping move, Iran issued regulations giving Internet cafes 15 days to install security cameras, start collecting detailed personal information on customers and document users’ online footprints.

Spain passes new Internet “Piracy Law”

United States Ambassador Alan Solomont put pressure on Spain’s outgoing president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, to pass a tough new internet piracy law, according to the Guardian.

In a letter obtained by the Spanish newspaper El Pais and quoted by the Guardian, Solomont threatened “retaliation action” if Spain did not move quickly to pass the Sinde law, named after minister of culture Ángeles González-Sinde.

The Sinde Law was passed on Jan 3…

The US is poised to implement new restrictions on internet activity, SOPA, with serious consequences:

If SOPA or PIPA/ ProtectIPwere to become law, there is a long list of reasons why it would threaten the functioning, freedom, and economic potential of the Internet, but here are PK’s main concerns:

• By short-circuiting the legal system, it gives rightsholders a fast-track to shutting down websites.
• By creating conflicts between “DNS” servers, it would make you more vulnerable to hackers, identity theft, and cyberattacks.
• By sanctioning government interference with the internet, it would make the internet more censored, akin to that of China and Syria.

To make it worse, SOPA and PIPA / ProtectIP are ineffective. So the question is, is an ineffective bill worth the risk of damaging free speech and the functioning of the Internet? We say no

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