Bill Gates on Freedom

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

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Amusing Rants from Dave Winer's Desktop
Released on 2/22/96; 12:18:01 AM PST
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  Bill Gates, billg () microsoft com, is chairman and CEO of Microsoft
  Corporation.


  Here's his essay which is part of the 24 Hours of Democracy project.


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  ***Support Freedom of Speech on the Internet


  The Internet is the first medium that allows anyone with reasonably
  inexpensive equipment to publish to a wide audience. It is the first
  medium that distributes information globally at almost no marginal
  cost.


  The Internet's potential is enormous, and the stakes are high. The
  Internet can raise the quality of political debate, the quality of
  education, the quality of life. It is precious and important, and we
  must not take it for granted.


  Beginning two decades ago, the PC industry developed in the United
  States without government control and regulations. The benefits of
  the resulting PC revolution were far-reaching.


  As this computer revolution gives way to an even-more-important
  communications revolution, governments are getting involved -
  sometimes with a vengeance.


  One example of government involvement is the telecommunications-
  deregulation bill that President Bill Clinton recently signed into
  law. It will, among other things, make the "information highway" of
  the future possible.


  Overall, Microsoft and I supported this legislation, in part
  because it will help create a framework that will encourage
  aggressive private investment. The result will be faster
  communications connections and lower costs for people who use
  interactive networks such as the Internet. This will be good for our
  economy and way of life.


  But not everything about the bill is good. In fact, one part is truly
  bad.


  Microsoft and others in industry and non-profit organizations were
  deeply involved in trying to block language that would put chilling
  restrictions on the use of the Internet for the free publication of
  information. The language, ostensibly aimed at keeping
  pornography out of the hands of children, goes much too far in
  restricting freedom of expression.


  We had a lot of good company in the fight against this knee-jerk
  language, but we lost the first round.


  Now our hope is that this misguided language will either be struck
  down by the courts as unconstitutional or else overridden
  legislatively.


  If it is allowed to stand, it will undermine our nation's Bill of
  Rights -- and there is no question that it will interfere with the
  ability of the Internet to flourish. It is so restrictive that it will
  scare people who fear they might commit a felony, by simply
  discussing a controversial topic.


  We in the United States have a heartfelt interest in keeping
  pornography and other objectionable material out of the hands of
  children. We can't turn our heads and ignore that which can damage our
  kids.


  But we also have a national interest in freedom of expression.
  Throughout history, that freedom has been a hallmark of our nation
  which has benefited our society, and helped us set an example for the
  world.


  The free exchange of ideas on a global basis is something that is
  important for the U.S. politically and economically. Let's not
  undermine the world-wide trend toward free expression by setting a
  bad example when it comes to free speech on a computer network.


  The Bill of Rights is the foundation on which our nation is built. The
  Internet is an enormously valuable place in which those rights must
  continue to thrive. Both the Bill of Rights and the Internet are
  potentially fragile. Mess with either of them too much, and we might
  ruin them.


  We can't let this happen.


  Bill Gates


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