Really, what is the future of the Internet? Between global surveillance projects, the spread of censorship in our lives, the tightening of control over the Web, and the increased power of online companies that influence everything we do, it's not so easy to remain optimistic about the future of the internet.
The massive Internet blackouts we have seen recently in war-torn countries, censorship disguised as a protective force in the UK and the US, CISPA and SOPA, the dull and naive attempts by businesses to cut off the flow of file sharing rather than addressing the core of the problem, an easy way to access content, and the regulations promoted by those who understand nothing about the internet, all honestly seem to lead to control of the internet.
These are the factors, not cybercrime or hacking, that will pose the biggest threat to the internet over the next 20 years, according to experts.
According to a new study from the Internet research firm Pew and the American Life Project, published Thursday, more than 1,400 experts – academics and technology professionals – believe that governments and businesses have the greatest potential to change the face of the internet, and not for the better.
The research firm (.PDF) asked these professionals to answer the question of what the most threatening influences on the internet will be through 2025. While many experts said that technological innovation will create jobs, economic boosts, and more opportunities for people around the world, there were many concerns “that government actions” will lead to more blocks, filters, fragmentation, and censorship of the internet.
These efforts to control should be – and have been – made for security and political reasons. The report notes that Internet regulation is widespread in countries where regimes have faced protests, such as Egypt and Turkey, and these countries have blocked access to the Internet to control the flow of information and suppress communication if it was a threat to them. In addition, China uses the “Great Firewall” to limit the flow of information and suppress dissent.
According to Pew, the second threat to the future of the internet is distrust in governments, in the wake of the Snowden revelations and the fear of greater surveillance in the future. Of course, Edward Snowden and his revelations about the National Security Agency (NSA) brought to the fore many privacy issues and, according to experts, could lead to a restriction of the exchange of data and knowledge on the internet. Internet governance issues and data breaches could hinder the future of activities by businesses seeking security.
The third threat the report cites is that commercial pressures and businesses are influencing the user experience. The rush to make money from the internet could harm open access to the internet in the future.
A recent example is the principle of net neutrality, which can lead to the extermination of the user and the super-enrichment of companies that provide internet services.
Finally, the “TMI” – too much information – problem will paradoxically lead to too little information online. In other words, filtering efforts to control the flow of information to make it more manageable could backfire, and restrictions could be imposed on consumer flows.
You can read the research here. (PDF)
