Politics or Promise?
When discussing “the internet ahead,” the future that will be so closely related to the Obama administration’s policy formulation and enforcement, the proper way to conclude would be again with a question: What is President-elect Obama’s true commitment to change? This question is very similar to the one posed at the beginning of our blog, and it persists precisely because no one knows.
Hopefully, the answer is yes. In such a case, Americans will see the naming of a new Chief Technology Office (already delayed, unfortunately), greater accountability, and improved Internet laws. Additionally, we will benefit from greater civil liberties combined with more effective security/counterterrorism laws that equally benefit government and citizens. And these hopes are only the beginning of a long list of expectations that people have.
Unfortunately, only time will tell if President Obama will be able to fulfill the promises he has made. Previous incidents such as his campaign reversal on FISA (because it was the most agreeable solution, although by no means the best possible) don’t bode well for the future of Internet law. Hopefully, Obama will avoid such reversals in the future; political expediency will do nothing in the long run when it comes to effective policymaking. It remains to be seen if he is more committed to politics or promise, and that choice will be the crucial determinant of the internet ahead.