US government rescinds 'leave internet alone' policy

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    Date: 
    1 March 2010

    The US government’s policy of leaving the Internet alone is over, according to Obama’s top official at the Department of Commerce.

    Instead, an “Internet Policy 3.0” approach will see policy discussions between government agencies, foreign governments, and key Internet constituencies, according to Assistant Secretary Larry Strickling, with those discussions covering issues such as privacy, child protection, cybersecurity, copyright protection, and Internet governance.

    The outcomes of such discussions will be “flexible” but may result in recommendations for legislation or regulation, Strickling said in a speech at the Media Institute in Washington this week.