The virtual version of 1960s protest marches has struck the Internet in the form of a nationwide mobilization against online censorship. Do they mark the Net’s potential coming of age? Or are we witnessing its premature demise from SIDS – Sudden Internet Death Syndrome?
Predictor: Andrews, Paul
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article in The Seattle Times, reporter Paul Andrews shares reactions to the Communications Decency Act. Andrews writes: ”The virtual version of 1960s protest marches has struck the Internet in the form of a nationwide mobilization against online censorship. Do they mark the Net’s potential coming of age? Or are we witnessing its premature demise from SIDS – Sudden Internet Death Syndrome? … [Protestors against the Communications Decency Act] declared war with the weapons they know best: e-mail, faxes, phone calls – methods supporters of the legislation also are using. There were arguments over whether ‘spamming,’ or distributing massive numbers of e-mailings to congressional representatives, would help or hinder. Some activists thought electronic overload would backfire, causing Congress to shut them out as they might a special-interest group. Initial signs were that the protest campaign is having an impact. Last Tuesday, the official Internet Day of Protest, more than 20,000 e-mail messages were sent to lawmakers.”
Date of prediction: December 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Censorship/Free Speech
Name of publication: Seattle Times
Title, headline, chapter name: Will Censorship Muffle Internet?
Quote Type: Paraphrase
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney