Cyber-skepticism appears to be the flavor of the week.
Some commentators have argued that wireless technology could become one of the “greatest tools the world has ever seen in promoting democracy.” Others draw attention to the use of cell phones to monitor elections.
But activists appreciate that networking tools are – well, just that – tools, not solutions, suggests Robert Guerra, internet freedom project director at Freedom House. E- activism has its limits, he notes, not least because “governments have reacted with repression 2.0.”
Predictions that the Internet would empower democrats challenging authoritarian regimes have proven to be optimistic, analysts conclude.
The internet has not had the subversive effect on authoritarian regimes and closed societies that many predicted. Autocratic regimes are even conducting their own cyber-war of ideas.
Looks like it’s still a case of open networks, closed regimes.
[...] We’ve been through this before. Many, many times before, in fact. Technology is medium, not a force for that favors good or evil. [...]