In the future, every Internet operator will be subject to local laws … And software will be developed to provide the appropriate local censorship.
Predictor: Schmidt, Eric
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for The New York Times, John Markoff talks with Eric Schmidt, chief technology officer for Sun Microsystems, regarding controversy over Internet censorship issues. Markoff writes: ”Rather than try to impose global bans, many American computer executives say that the best solution to the problem of pornography on the Internet is to employ special filtering software that systematically maps out specific addresses that contain certain kinds of content … ‘In the future, every Internet operator will be subject to local laws,’ said Eric Schmidt, chief technology officer for Sun Microsystems Inc., a Mountain View, Calif., computer maker. ‘And software will be developed to provide the appropriate local censorship.'”
Biography:Eric Schmidt was chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems from 1983-1997, where he earned international recognition as an Internet pioneer. He was also instrumental in the development and widespread acceptance of Java – Sun’s highly successful 1990s Internet programming language. He later worked as chief executive at Google. (Pioneer/Originator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Censorship/Free Speech
Name of publication: New York Times
Title, headline, chapter name: The Media Business: Online Service Blocks Access to Topics Called Pornographic
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=8bc4b60004fb0e4ca263dc6a524ff372&_docnum=1&wchp=dGLbVzz-lSlzV&_md5=95506e2f2a41aca06219f841dde37f5d
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Sturmfelz, Matt