[governance] Cerfing the Web, or Serfing the Web? (Understanding Google's Internet Evangelism against Internet Access Rights)

[Daniel Kalchev]

On Jan 17, 2012, at 5:51 AM, Paul Lehto wrote:

>  
>      It would be odd for an evangelist of the Christian religion, or any other religion, to argue that people had no right of access to the "Technology" of the Christian religion - the book known as the Bible.  But Vinton G. Cerf, official "chief Internet evangelist" for Google, Inc., strangely argued an analogous proposition:  That people have "no right to access the Internet" Mr. Cerf is paid to evangelise for by Google, Inc.  Calling the Internet a mere tool or technology that enables "real" rights such as free speech, Mr. Cerf apparently considers anyone denied the Internet by arbitrary government action, for example, to have been deprived of nothing they have a right to access.  Would a religious "evangelist" take the same attitude about accessing the Bible, and think that the right to freedom of religion did NOT encompass a right to access the Bible in either print or electronic form?  
> 

Paul,

While I agree in much of what you point out, it is evident from history, that many "evangelists" were of the thinking that masses should be told what to believe in, not read and understand themselves, for they may happen to read and understand not what the "evangelist" or their "church" preaches.

But, just like with religion, where the experience and belief are strictly private, the same can be said about Internet. Different people see different things in Internet (even as technology) and they use Internet for quite different things. Even the same individuals at different points in time.

We know what happened with Christian religion, when it was "regulated" and "monopolized" in the Middle Ages. Or one could say, when the religion and the Government married.
Eventually, because it is natural phenomenon for everyone to express their own will, something we call "human rights" and because inherently evangelism is to be rebellious of the current system, things changed. 

So, on your last question, yes -- we have already seen this trough the ages.

They say "The road to Evil is laid with good intentions"

Daniel____________________________________________________________
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