Libertarianism promotes the idea that individuals can and should interact with one another economically, socially, and politically without intervention from the state; or coercion by any other entity or individual. It is quite easy then to understand why cyber-libertarianism is so popular and held in such high esteem around the Western world. The internet is a new space in which states and power elites cannot wholly dominate for their own gains, an almost equal playing field for all who wish to actively engage – this is what makes the internet special for so many in the West, and this is why a rebellion of many mainstream websites has taken place: Freedom is popular.

On the 18th of January 2012 the largest ever web protest took place in opposition to the PIPA and SOPA bills, heavy hitters such as Wikipedia, Wired, WordPress and Reddit completely censored or blocked access to there sites for a number of hours; whereas Google and the Drudge Report continued with with business, yet advertised their opposition to the legislation and linked to useful information and petitions regarding the bills. The effect was astounding, with huge amounts of awareness raised not just in the U.S but over the whole world. It also convinced many politicians to drop their support for the bills, however, so far it has not been enough, as Wikipedia notes:

“Are SOPA and PIPA dead [after the protest]? Not at all. SOPA sponsor Lamar Smith stated that the House of Representatives will push the bill forward in February. Senate sponsor Patrick Leahy still plans for a PIPA vote on January 24. Moreover, SOPA and PIPA are symptoms of a larger issue. They are misguided solutions to a misunderstood problem. In the U.S. and abroad, legislators and big media are embracing censorship and sacrificing civil liberties in their attacks on free knowledge and an open Internet.”

More fighting must take place if true internet freedom is to be maintained, or, as the line taken from one of Virgil’s poems, now used by the Libertarian Ludwig von Mises Institute, goes: “Do not give in to evil but proceed ever more boldly against it.” 

Update: 

Victory for cyber-libertarianism and anti-censorship! The online protest has had its desired effect — the PIPA bill has been postponed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who stated: “In light of recent events, I have decided to postpone Tuesday’s vote on the PROTECT I.P. Act.”  

On top of this the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith is also postponing SOPA, “Until there is wider agreement on a solution.”  

However, the bills are not truly dead in the water yet and as sopastrike.com has announced “If they return we must be ready.”

But for now cyber-libertarianism should celebrate its first victory against such anti-Internet legislation. For surely all those who use the Internet know its true potential is best enabled through each individual, not through states or elites, who will always attempt to manipulate such technologies for their own agendas.  

Bibliography:

Chadwick, Andrew; “Internet Politics: States, Citizens, and New Communication Technologies”, Oxford University Press, 2006.

(Multiple embedded links throughout article.)

Further reading and watching:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/why-weve-censored-wired-com/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57360665-503544/sopa-pipa-what-you-need-to-know/

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71584.html

Unfortunately the campaigns to raise awareness and debate key ACTA proposals haven’t been as successful as the ones that stopped the SOPA and PIPA bills in the U.S. Now time is running out, as most of the developed world has signed up to the agreement; leaving only the EU, Mexico and Switzerland still undecided. The final push to stop the agreement is being aimed at the European Parliament (EP), which has the ability to stop ACTA from being enacted. For now time is on their side, as the debate is scheduled for June. However, considering that the U.S, Japan, and many other trading partners to the EU have already signed the agreement, it looks unlikely that ACTA will be blocked; which would be a devastating blow to cyber-libertarianism worldwide.

However, the protest movements and awareness raising campaigns against ACTA are still growing; they do have time to convince the MEPs to reconsider the agreement. Hope has been renewed by protests breaking out in Poland against the signing of the agreement, and Kader Arif, the EP’s rapporteur for ACTA resigning over the way it has been managed by officials, stating that he had witnessed:

“[N]ever-before-seen manoeuvres” and that he “condemn[s] the whole process which led to the signature of this agreement: no consultation of the civil society, lack of transparency since the beginning of negotiations, repeated delays of the signature of the text without any explanation given, reject of Parliament’s recommendations as given in several resolutions of our assembly.” 

If other MEPs follow Kader Arif’s lead then maybe a snow-ball rebellion can build up in the EP; possibly enough MEPs will revolt to strike down this draconian trade agreement. Perhaps cyber-libertarianism will remain supreme, perhaps states and politicians will realise freedom is not theirs to take, but rather, an unalienable human right. Perhaps one day the people will wake up…

Further Reading and Watching:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2010/06/09/idINIndia-49179920100609

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/01/22/poland-netizens-protest-governments-plan-to-sign-acta-next-week/

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/01/acta-would-usurp-congressional-authority-threatens-numerous-public-interests-a-backroom-special-interest-deal.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Xg_C2YmG0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQdMtSmkVBs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=spapXznZf4I