We have a massive effort under way in the telecommunications conference to say we are going to tell you what to think; we are going to tell you what to do when you go online. Do you know why? I am willing to bet that three-quarters of the Congress do not have the foggiest idea how to get on the Internet.
Predictor: Leahy, Patrick
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article published on his official Senate Web site, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) makes the following statement regarding censorship and freedom of speech on the Internet: ”At a time when we hear that we have a new thrust in Congress where we want to get Government off your backs, we want to get Government out of your life, we want to turn things back to the people, we have a massive effort under way in the telecommunications conference to say we are going to tell you what to think; we are going to tell you what to do when you go online. Do you know why? I am willing to bet that three-quarters of the Congress do not have the foggiest idea how to get on the Internet. They can say, ‘We do not use it. It does not involve us. So let us screw it up for everybody else who might use it.’ But, ‘everybody else’ are millions and millions of Americans. I urge the full telecommunications bill conference to consider the threat its proposals to regulate free speech poses to the future growth of the Internet.”
Biography:Patrick Leahy was a U.S. Senate member who played an important role in Congressional discussions of the Internet in the 1990s. (Legislator/Politician/Lawyer.)
Date of prediction: December 14, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Censorship/Free Speech
Name of publication: Press Release - Leahy Home Page
Title, headline, chapter name: The Role of Department of Justice and Internet Protest
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.senate.gov/~leahy/press/199512/951214.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney