What would happen if...

[Digby]

Let's say for sake of discussion that it's possible for a country to contain Internet access within its borders.  If the Internet were all of a sudden clamped at the US border, who would suffer the most?  Would it be the US or the rest of the world?<br><br>

[Jaybot]

hmm, well the rest of the world would be suffering from the lack of the millions of quality porn sites hosted in the US

[MooseMaster]

I could have SWORN that you were going to say "if Moose and Paul got along." <br>But I'd say the rest of the world would. 85+ % of the Internet is based in the United States [i'd guestimate (for those complaining about facts not being backed up)]. USA was the one that started the internet for the military anyway, so we basically have it all. Even a lot of Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and especially UK websites are hosted on American machines I can guarantee.

[Paul]

ah come on moose, we do really...

[RICoder]

I think it would be both, mostly from the information point of view.<br><br>We would suffer because we would be stuck referring to domestic news sources and not get other countries point of views on stuff.<br><br>The rest of the world would suffer insofar as they would not be privy to a truly free societies unrestricted news agencies.

[Luciano U. Werner]

Doesn't European countries have free media? If we have, they must have too.

[Paul]

everythings biased luci... like those smelly arabs. i hate them sooo much... grr!<br><br>see?

[MooseMaster]

We got news pretty easily before the days of the internet. I'm sure if America hijacked the Internet America would only be minorly affected, whereas the rest of the globe will be in more trouble than the USA for sure.

[Warren]

Both the US and rest of the world would be harmed. The US wouldn't have a lot of the gaming web sites, and the rest of the world wouldn't have the US's porn.<br><br>And Paul, erase that racist comment!

[Moose or Chuck]

The US has tons of gaming sites. But you people over in Europe probably know all of the European sites whereas we Americans no all the American sites, ignorant of each other.

[Bjorn Keizers]

I agree with the previous posters: everyone would suffer. Even if the US would "hijack" the internet, all wouldn't be lost. I'm sure some smart US hacker would find a way out, just like with the Berlin Wall.<br><br>And besides: would the US really get away with that if they did cut off the internet? For most countrys, this would be a good reason to go to war over. I know I would...

[Paul]

spinning newspaper:<br><br>MOOSE LOGS IN!

[jongjungbu]

The arrival of PM2 would suffer the most because Chris would have to call Matt on the phone every time he wished to discuss the PM site. Since 999 already left to Europe, it doesn't matter if he can submit his work still.<br><br>

[Matt Keys]

lol