Over the last decade the Internet has transformed how information can be madeavailableit is now used to transfer information about things as varied asfinancial ... » 

Over the last decade the Internet has transformed how information can be madeavailableit is now used to transfer information about things as varied asfinancial transactions and celebrity gossip and to link and coordinateactivities between otherwise isolated people from protest groups to lonelyhearts. This unprecedented ease of access to a wealth of information andcontacts presents a challenge to national governments who wish to control andrestrain some of this activity.In recent years Internet control has become one of the major indicators toassess the balance between freedom and security in democracies. This bookexplores and compares how why and to what extent national governments decideto control the Internet and how this impacts on crucial socioeconomicactivities and fundamental civil rights. The author provides detailed studieson the US Germany Italy and further case studies on Brazil Canada Indiathe Netherlands South Africa and Switzerland to address topics such cyberterrorism the protection of information infrastructure and the impact onindividual privacy and freedom of speech.This is the first crosscountry comparative study on the issue of Internetcontrol. It will be of interest to international relations scholars andstudents and particularly those with an interest in the Internet. «