Interesting Theory

I heard an interesting story today, one I was prepared to classify as a theory rather than as a conspiracy theory, but as usual it seems the internet has beaten me to it... by several years. I quite like hearing interesting theories, but I hate hearing one that makes sense that the whole world but me has heard long ago leaving just me as uneducated.... like turning up an hour after something exceptionally funny happened at a party and just not getting what everyone is on about.

Anyway, I have just learned today of what I now understand is being referred to as "Internet 2".

Here is the theory as I got it today, just in case anyone other than me is reading about this for the first time. The Internet (the one you are using to read this) was an accident of technology and consumerism that bypassed corporate and government sensors by being a truly phenomenal creation that was so revolutionary that it before any claim to regulate or profit directly from it could be made it was too late. It belongs to the world, it is essentially free to use, anyone can use it without a licence, and anyone can put pretty much what they like on the internet. There are few rules for users, and although money can be made over the internet, not so much is made from the internet. We have developed our own online cultures and trends and can spread the word of news in an instance across the globe. It brought people together across the globe without the need for governments, news editors, and visas.

Despite the benefits to individuals there were regrets from those who saw the Internet as a missed opportunity. 

The lessons have been learnt and early attempts to regulate the Internet failed because of the impossibility of the task of doing so retrospectively, so, somewhere (not sure where, or by whom) there is being developed right now something known as "Internet 2". Internet 2 will not be connected or related in any way to this original World Wide Web. Internet 2 will be regulated by Governments, possibly the UN or regionally by the EU, AU, NAU... etc and will require three levels of licence, by user, by machine and by software (i.e. web browser). This way, a presence on Internet 2 is regulated, and completely traceable as well as profitable for those companies dealing in such matters. Internet 2 will be only for those users and sites who come over to the regulated version. Through this, there will be, in theory, few or no viruses, an inability to commit "internet crimes", to spread lies, transfer money illegally, download illegally etc.  People who break the Internet rules will be barred much like how someone caught speeding might face a driving ban.

In the next few years, some of the bigger corporations will make the switch, and consumers will be led quietly at first, and then via necessity off of the current web, onto the new corporate friendly, highly regulated new super highway.

So, firstly, is there a newsletter, an eShot or something that I need to get so as to be in the loop on these things in future? Secondly, I am not so sure that I want to be a part of a sanitised web. Maybe I will and maybe it was the way this was presented but I am suspicious. Of course I have no problem with people and companies making money off or over the internet, they do so now anyway. But, I like that the Internet, or I should say this Internet, is not owned, it is free, nobody can really tell us what to do.  I don't like spam and Viruses, but for a for a few adverts I can down load a free Anti-virus software, and I can delete spam in a second before reading genuine emails.  I like that the world largely without Government and Corporation can exist and interact largely without interference. When the internet throws up a problem, people look to either the private sector or governments only when they are needed, for example to police against libel or to create a new anti-virus programme. I like that I can locate just about anything in a few moments, and can learn about just about any subject for which the Internet has become humanity’s great repository. If Internet 2 becomes a reality I hope that it is presented as an alternative and that the benefits of each way are presented fairly and equally... and that there is no big push to shut off or slow down access to our existing superhighway - Given how the Internet has already developed, if people wanted a sanitized version, we would have created it already!

Of course, my previous posts about theories I have just learned have all pretty much come to nothing, so should none of this ever happen, then all I have done is simply commented on another Internet conspiracy theory.