Bill Gates: Internet censorship just won't work

Bill Gates understands some things very well. In his latest speech he's got it right when he contends that Internet censorship can't work as long as people are determined to know the truth. However, it is a very Western/U.S. egocentric idea that all cultures everywhere are interested in truly free speech. There are certainly populations of the world that aren't interested in anything other than their own version of the truth. Censorship wins in those parts of the world because people are trained to forgo free thought. As Bill Gates focuses his life away from acquiring wealth and toward solving problems associated with abject poverty, he has hit on a truth. People first need to learn to hope for a life that is free from starvation and rampant disease. Then they will acquire the energy needed to desire truth and to reject/overthrow censorship. The place to start is with humanitarian aid. The free flow of the Internet for information and commerce will follow.

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