Reader Response Draft 4

In the article, “Who’s the true enemy of internet freedom – China, Russia or the US?” by Morozov (2015) argues that America is the true enemy of Internet freedom. The author illustrates this by comparing America’s actions with those of China and Russia. Actions taken by China and Russia, seen as nations who curtail freedom of expression, are more benign and are for self-protection and self-preservation. America however uses the Internet to retrieve data from users of American technology around the world (Morozov, 2015).

Historically, geopolitical factors made America the world’s policemen. Actions taken by the American government in controlling Internet data are aligned to that role. However, Morozov argues that American government, as a bastion of freedom of expression, needs to be careful when fighting for freedom of expression on the Internet as it can also be seen as fighting for restriction on such freedom.

The American government sees itself as the policeman of the world (Lynch, 2014). A policeman, as generally understood, upholds law and order and acts as the bastion of peace and enforcement of security. America, in this sense, takes on the task of upholding law and order around the world and aims to secure peace and stability. Uncle Sam started becoming the world’s police shortly after the fall of Soviet Russia as it became the sole superpower in the global stage. As the sole superpower, the US took on this moral obligation to police the world and intervene when necessary and has intervened in the affairs of other nations.

The American government has justified its actions by arguing that it is protecting its sovereignty and has a moral obligation to save people who are suffering. Likewise, the American government argues that retrieving data of users accessibly and easily is to protect its sovereignty and ensure security and peace. By collecting these data, it is able to filter and pre-empt any possible threat from happening, preventing any damage to people and property. Such data can be anything from information about narcotics to organised crime such as terrorist strikes.

On the other hand, as the American government fights for Internet freedom, it has to ensure that it is not so invasive such that it ends up curtailing freedom instead. As argued by Morozov, technological companies like Microsoft and Google need to maintain their independence and solidarity and not be easily swayed by the arguments by the US government. He further argues that if companies are unable to maintain their independence they might see their usage and support wane and as users will seek other avenues to fulfil their technological needs because people expect certain basic levels of privacy and use technology without the fear of being spied on. Apple’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tim Cook, has echoed this argument (Rushe, 2015).

The American government needs to understand that they are neither obliged nor capable enough to intervene in every political or social disruption around the world. It has to be strategic and careful in selecting instances when Internet freedom of expression is curtailed for a supposed greater good.

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References

Lynch, C. (2014, September 24). Obama to U.N.: OK, America Will Be The World’s Police. Foreign Policy. Retrieved from http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/09/24/obama-to-u-n-ok-america-will-be-       worlds-police/.

Morozov, E. (2015, January 4). Who's the true enemy of Internet freedom - China, Russia or the US. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/04/internet-freedom-china-russia-us-google-microsoft-digital-sovereignty.

Rushe, D. (2015, February 13). Apple CEO Tim Cook challenges Obama with impassioned stand on privacy. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/13/apple-ceo-tim-cook-challenges-obama-privacy.