Does the Internet Need Its Own Police?

Dom · Jun 9, 2004, 10:23 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Internet is a "god-awful mess," but few U.S. government officials are willing to take action against virus writers, spammers, and other scammers, according to author Bruce Sterling. He was speaking at the Gartner IT Security Summit this week in Washington, D.C.

Disorder and corruption are winning on the Internet, and computer users need the U.S. government to crack down on the thieves preying on the Net, said Sterling, author of futuristic novels Heavy Weather and Islands in the Net and the nonfiction book The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier.

A Digital Failure?

"We had a digital revolution in the 1990s--now we've slid into digital terror," Sterling said during his hour-long critique on the state of cybersecurity. "Today's Internet is a dirty mess--its revolution failed. E-commerce was extremely inventive for a while, but the financing model was corrupt. There was poor governance in the financial systems, there was worse industrial policy; the upshot was a spectacular industry-wrecking boom and bust."

Most of the advancements in Internet commerce since the dot-com bust have been illegal, Sterling noted, including spamming, identity theft, and "phishing," which is theft of credit card numbers or other personal information by directing customers to bogus Web sites to change their account settings. "If you advance into mayhem, that's not advancement, that's driving into a ditch," he added.

Read More...

______________________
Source: PCWorld

MSX · Jun 10, 2004, 01:14 AM

... He is also talking out of his digital ass. Digital terror? What the hell? Spam is part of a capitalist economy. I'm in fear that someone will throw extra paper in my mailbox! Too many commercials on TV! For the love of humanity I fear for my hard earned dollars with this harassment because I'm an idiot with a complete lack of self awareness!

What a boob.

This is one of those articles written by some sort of idiot that hears things but doesn't exactly understand whats going on. For the record: computers can't hurt you. On the net there is no need for "police" because anyone who has something good enough to steal or spy upon deserves it if they don't protect their stuff.

Besides, enforcing something on the internet is like bad mouthing someone off on a pub forum. Just no effect.

***craig5320*** · Jun 10, 2004, 01:42 AM

It depends would I be the boss? If not, no.

BWX · Jun 10, 2004, 04:36 AM

They just want to stop people from downloading music and crap.. A bunch of nonsense.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jun 10, 2004, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BWX
They just want to stop people from downloading music and crap.. A bunch of nonsense.

yea I have a feeling the riaa's $$$ is behind this nothing more

a lot of this other stuff happens offshore were we have no jurisdiction there for no enforcement. Who wants a cop fallowing you around everywhere you go and knowing everything you do waiting to pounce on you the moment you misstep.

It would be nearly imposable to protect any of you civil rights so you would consider all those null and void. Why not burn the constuition while were at it.

~~HawK~~ · Jun 10, 2004, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by craig5320
It depends would I be the boss? If not, no.

And if you were, would we still have internet??

Jun 9, 2004, 10:23 PM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	Does the Internet Need Its Own Police? WASHINGTON -- The Internet is a "god-awful mess," but few U.S. government officials are willing to take action against virus writers, spammers, and other scammers, according to author Bruce Sterling. He was speaking at the Gartner IT Security Summit this week in Washington, D.C. Disorder and corruption are winning on the Internet, and computer users need the U.S. government to crack down on the thieves preying on the Net, said Sterling, author of futuristic novels Heavy Weather and Islands in the Net and the nonfiction book The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier. A Digital Failure? "We had a digital revolution in the 1990s--now we've slid into digital terror," Sterling said during his hour-long critique on the state of cybersecurity. "Today's Internet is a dirty mess--its revolution failed. E-commerce was extremely inventive for a while, but the financing model was corrupt. There was poor governance in the financial systems, there was worse industrial policy; the upshot was a spectacular industry-wrecking boom and bust." Most of the advancements in Internet commerce since the dot-com bust have been illegal, Sterling noted, including spamming, identity theft, and "phishing," which is theft of credit card numbers or other personal information by directing customers to bogus Web sites to change their account settings. "If you advance into mayhem, that's not advancement, that's driving into a ditch," he added. Read More... ______________________ Source: PCWorld

Jun 10, 2004, 01:42 AM	#3
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,576 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	It depends would I be the boss? If not, no. __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Jun 10, 2004, 04:36 AM	#4
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	They just want to stop people from downloading music and crap.. A bunch of nonsense. __________________

Jun 10, 2004, 01:14 AM	#2
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	... He is also talking out of his digital ass. Digital terror? What the hell? Spam is part of a capitalist economy. I'm in fear that someone will throw extra paper in my mailbox! Too many commercials on TV! For the love of humanity I fear for my hard earned dollars with this harassment because I'm an idiot with a complete lack of self awareness! What a boob. This is one of those articles written by some sort of idiot that hears things but doesn't exactly understand whats going on. For the record: computers can't hurt you. On the net there is no need for "police" because anyone who has something good enough to steal or spy upon deserves it if they don't protect their stuff. Besides, enforcing something on the internet is like bad mouthing someone off on a pub forum. Just no effect.