How much should we worry about our free and open access to the Internet being closed off? If you believe Google co-founder Sergey Brin, you should be very worried indeed.
In a new interview for The Guardian, he states that in his opinion, " ... very powerful forces that have lined up against the open internet on all sides and around the world." He added, "I am more worried than I have been in the past. It"s scary."
He cites a number of reasons for his deep concern. One of them is that a number of governments, such as Iran, are trying to control access to the Internet, blocking the freedom to use the net by its citizens. He adds that the entertainment industry also wants to limit Internet access under the umbrella of fighting online piracy.
Those companies have been supporting bills like SOPA which Google and other companies have fought to shut down. Brin feels that the entertainment business is "shooting itself in the foot, or maybe worse than in the foot" for trying to support these proposed laws.
Finally, closed systems for downloading apps and content, such as Apple"s iOS, could also lead to less freedom for users and developers, according to Brin. Facebook is also lumped into the closed system issue, with Brin claiming, "You have to play by their rules, which are really restrictive."