Free Flow of Information—A View from Australia

I really enjoy the letters on your site, but you fail to mention the extent that your government goes [to monitor and control information]. The CIA supercomputer program, codenamed "Echelon," is able to view and read every single e-mail no matter where its origin or destination on the planet.

So you see, there is no such thing as the "free flow of information." There is only what is controlled, and if your views on the world (or the way things should be) conflict with those in control, your little lane on the Superhighway is conveniently blocked.

Again I say....great web site, well done; but if you, as your article does, want to start discussing dictators with regard to information, I suggest you look into the cleanliness of your own nation's backyard. The U.S. spends more money on the recording, surveillance and subjugation of so called "free flowing information" than any nation on Earth.

Your views suggest the U.S. is a nation committed to freedom of information. Perhaps that is true for its people, but it is certainly not for the government that runs it.

I have some great American friends. But sometimes the ways of the world piss me off, and it is the U.S. Govt. that basically runs the world, therefore my criticism is directed there.

As for September 11....well, we could go on for days about that sad event. Certainly the war economy is back in full tilt and the boys on Capitol Hill will be rubbing there hands together with all the economic activity generated by the so called "War on Terror." And think of all the contracts that can be doled out when it's time to rebuild Afghanistan.

Thanks for the kind words, although the CIA may not entirely agree.

You say that, "if your views on the world (or the way things should be) conflict with those in control, your little lane on the Superhighway is conveniently blocked."

Although we know of Echelon, I know of no instance where something that was overheard resulted in the blocking of Internet access. (Although, like many countries, I understand that Australia does block some Internet material.)

Although many people thought Echelon constituted an invasion of privacy before Sept. 11th, I think attitudes have changed a bit now.

Today's sophisticated encryption software can get around Echelon, so if someone is set on keeping communications private, it's probably not an issue.

Does the U.S. control the world? No. Does the U.S. government attempt to control what its citizens believe? Yes. You might consider this writer's views on this issue.

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