Saving the Net (Linux Journal)

Saving the Net (Linux Journal)

Honestly, I think America's influence is somewhat overstated. There are always a few countries (UK, Australia) who are willing to roll over a do whatever America says. But many others do occasionally stand. Countries that simply ignore drug patents because of overriding national concerns. America can scream and yell and carry on, but they fact is that unless they're willing to come over and invade the country it's all just talk.

Threatening trade sanctions is similar. They can refuse to trade with North Korea because there's nothing there. But to refuse to trade with China or the EU would hurt themselves. Similarly China can't refuse to trade with the US because they need somewhere to dump the stuffed toys. And this is a *good* thing, because it stops people acting stupid.

Getting back on topic, certain issues raised like the E911 thing are perculiarly American issues. In Australia the emergency service is a government funded service and so it doesn't cost anybody anything directly, so the complaints simply don't apply. As people are so fond of saying, "the net" doesn't exist, it's just a bunch of people who happen to connect to eachother. If the US government wants to start regulating everything all it will do is make it more expensive for Americans. The rest of the world wouldn't blink.

Anyway, this guy says it better: http://www.techliberation.com/archives/027010.php