Larry Press: Venezuela vs. the Internet

Written by Larry Press

The Venezuela government cracks down on Internet usage. Larry Press reports.

aNewDomain.net – Most people would agree that the Internet is a wonderful invention. Its use as a political communication tool, however, makes a lot of people uneasy.

Image credit: Larry Press

Image credit: Larry Press

When the Internet came to Cuba, for example, the government decided to monitor and limit its access. In comparison, the Venezuelan government viewed the Internet in a positive light. As a result, the Internet is more advanced and pervasive in Venezuela than it is in Cuba.

The current unrest in Venezuela has now inspired the government to crack down on Internet usage. For more information about the situation, take a look at these articles from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Associated Press, and Aljazeera America.

Looking back, perhaps Nicolas Maduro, the President of Venezuela, wishes his country had adopted Cuba’s strict Internet policy. And how (if at all) does all of this affect Cuba?

For aNewDomain.net, I’m Larry Press.

Based in Los Angeles, Larry Press is a founding senior editor covering tech here at aNewDomain.net. He’s also a professor of information systems at California State University at Dominguez Hills. Check his Google+ profile — he’s at +Larry Press — or email him at Larry@aNewDomain.net.