G8 summit: laws apply on Internet just like “everywhere else”

From ars technica:

G8 summit: laws apply on Internet just like “everywhere else”

By Nate Anderson | Published a day ago

The G8 group of countries—France, Italy, Germany, the UK, Japan, Canada, Russia, and the US—met this week in Deauville, France to talk about a huge list of issues, including the Internet. In a lengthy statement released at the end of Friday’s meeting, the countries agreed on a 22-paragraph communiqué in which they lay out their view of the Internet—and make clear that laws apply in cyberspace exactly as they do in the real world.

The document says plenty of good things about free expression, the democratizing power of the Internet, and the need for “non-discrimination and fair competition.” It also notes that these goods “must be included in a broader framework” of respect for the law and of protection for intellectual property.

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What a horrific distortion of what capitalism should be about. Consider: “the need for “non-discrimination” — this is simply a justification for state laws like net neutrality to let the state regulate the internet.

“and fair competition.” I suppose this justifies antitrust law and other state regulation.

“It also notes that these goods “must be included in a broader framework” of respect for the law and of protection for intellectual property.”

IP, yet another way to censor and control thought and the Internet.