The federal government has really mastered the art of doublespeak (sensu Orwell's doublethink) in the last couple of decades. Some of the flips in thinking during the Iraq war were amazing (people fighting against a foreign invading force in their own country were suddenly "insurgents" and "terrorists;" if the exact same thing happened in the US---actually it did---they would be "patriots," "defense forces" and "heroes;" how can we call it the department of defense when it is invading other countries for no apparent reason---but that is a different story). Now I'm afraid the latest one is the news that the internet will be "protected" to "keep it free" by regulating it (link, link). Yes, by bringing the internet under regulation as a government controlled utility this will somehow enhance its freedom and availability above and beyond what it was previously. They pulled this trick by linking it in peoples minds to the net neutrality issue. Somehow by being for net neutrality this results in being for regulating it as a utility. If you're against the regulations you're against net neutrality. The argument is specious but it worked. Much like Apple computers campaign during the 80's that by buying a mac you were for greater choice and freedom (which can only be used on mac hardware unlike the greater flexibility of Microsoft's operating system), which, ironically in the current context, was made into a "1984" commercial (link). Here in Hawai'i we are still brought down by public utility regulation. I can think of no greater example then heco's moratorium on PV solar panels forcing people to buy the most expensive, fossil fuel generated, electricity in the country from them. It would be far more direct to recognize net neutrality as protected under the first amendement---period---end of story. But now they are trying to get their hooks into it...
Light at the end of the tunnel? We are seeing an increase in private spacecraft initiatives and satellite launches. Back in 2011 there was a convention to discuss building and making "available satellite based communication for the hackerspace community and all of mankind" (link). This was widely misrepresented in the media as an attempt to build a satellite based, uncensorable, internet access network (e.g., link) not under the control of any single country. However, perhaps working in this direction is not such a bad idea‽
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