Letter: Internet liberty

Mark Pawelek
Thursday 10 September 1998 19:02 EDT
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Sir: Like other censors, John Carr of the Internet Watch Foundation (Right of Reply, 7 September) sees problems where there are none.

There is no demand by Internet users for net regulation. The demand for regulation comes from government, and from all those who have an innate suspicion of what Mr Carr calls "mass media".

I suspect that Mr Carr distrusts the "mass" (including you and me) more than he distrusts the media. But the mass nature of the Internet is a source of great optimism - the prospect of liberating ordinary people from the constraints that have always been imposed upon communication.

Of course, there will be a few idiots who will abuse the system. Such people cause no physical harm to anyone. Their liberty is the price we pay for our freedom.

MARK PAWELEK

Belvedere, Kent

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