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What do you think comes next for 2013?

The Internet community faced many challenges in 2012 - threats to freedom of expression, access to information, and online privacy - meeting them head on and shared many successes. Some of these challenges, like the TPP, remain. What do *you* think comes next for 2013? What issues and actions do you want to see? Let us know - our best ideas always come from our community. Article by Zach Walton for Web Pro News:

The Internet community faced many challenges in 2012 - threats to freedom of expression, access to information, and online privacy - meeting them head on and shared many successes.

Some of these challenges, like the TPP, remain. What do *you* think comes next for 2013? What issues and actions do you want to see? Let us know - our best ideas always come from our community.

Article by Zach Walton for Web Pro News:

2012 was a dangerous year for the free Internet. Lawmakers and global stakeholders all took a shot at policing and regulating the Internet over the past year to no avail. That doesn’t mean they’ve given up, and 2013 could prove disastrous if certain parties have their way.

To that end, it would be advantageous to look back on all the bills, treaties, etc that threatened the Internet in 2012. As they say, those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Internet freedom fighters will have to learn from tactics employed this year to recognize threats to a free Internet before they even emerge.

Were you concerned for the free Internet in 2012? Do you think next year will be worse or better? Let us know in the comments.

The first battle over the free Internet came in January as the much debated SOPA and PIPA came up for vote in Congress. The bills were designed to combat copyright infringement online, but the powers granted to the government to do so were sweeping and overly broad. SOPA in particular gave government the power to censor Web sites on the DNS level thereby removing them from general access to most users. Potential for abuse was high and many feared that the bill would be used to destroy innovation and protect legacy businesses that have yet to adapt to how the Internet does business.

Worryingly enough, it looked like both bills would actually see smooth sailing through both the Senate and the House. Then the Internet banded together and launched a blackout campaign that saw many popular sites like Wikipedia going dark to show people what a world with SOPA could potentially look like. The tactic worked as thousands of concerned citizens called their representatives telling them to vote no on SOPA and PIPA. The bills were finally taken off the table for good in October. Read more »

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Read the full article at webpronews.com

What comes next for 2013? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, or by email.



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