1. The Internet should be free of charge.
Since the Internet is such a pervasive medium, access to connectivity to some form of the Internet should be free. The user should be required to purchase the hardware needed to access, such as a laptop or desktop computer. Having wireless access should be the preferred mode to allow access from anywhere users need the Internet. There should be a standard speed at which the free Internet is run, but if a faster speed is needed, users should be able to pay to receive faster speeds to do things like download or upload large files.

2. The government shouldn’t be able to regulate speech on the Internet any more than it can with other mediums of expression.
Free speech should be allowed on the Internet. Since the press and other forms of speech in public are both protected in certain ways, so should speech on the Internet. There are certain restrictions and the same restrictions should also be followed on the web. Since there is no one governing body of the Internet, it is also hard to even regulate speech since the web is so vast and crosses all national borders.

3. Hate speech on the Internet should be restricted.
As with other forms of expression, hate speech should be restricted to a certain extent. Because of the severity of some things that are written online, there do need to be some restrictions to keep people safe from threats or privacy leaks that could endanger them or their families. Since hate speech and fighting words are restricted in the press and verbally, it should also be restricted on the Internet.

4. The Internet shouldn’t be owned/regulated by owned or regulated by any one person or organization.
Right now, different countries have different restrictions on the Internet depending on their government policies. This should not be the case because of how much the Internet crosses international borders. If one entity has control, there will be things done to the Internet that not all users or governments will agree with. Innovations on the Internet should be allowed to happen, and if there is a restriction on who is running and controlling the Internet there could be limitations on what kinds of innovations are allowed.

5. The Internet should promote active government participation.
Because the Internet is such an open forum, active participation and learning should easily happen. Politics, especially in the 2008 election, has become more and more integrated on the Internet. Users have become more active in their participation in politics on the Internet, but in a one-sided way. Users generally actively seek out the opinions and websites that reinforce their own views. The change that needs to happen is opposing views need to become more prevalent in Internet use to foster better education.

6. Creative works on the Internet should be subject to the same copyright laws as traditionally published materials.
An artist’s, writer’s, or professional’s work is important to each of them. Current copyright laws protect original works. These laws should spill over into the Internet. There are current laws in place, specifically with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and these laws should continue to be enforced. Original works should not be allowed to be copied and posted onto the Internet without permission of the copyright holder. Even as the Internet grows and changes, original works should be protected for the sake of the creator.

7. There ought to be electronic access to all forms of media & entertainment paid for through advertising or smaller user payment.
Music sharing on the Internet is a hotly contested issue. Many say that entertainment access should be free, but then how would the creators of these forms of entertainment continue to keep working if they did not make money. If people want to access these materials, then there needs to be some way to make money off of users viewing or listening to these materials. Advertising during a movie or on the same page as the video will help make money. A small user fee is also another way to make money. As with iTunes, paying for songs or video is a plausible way to make money for entertainment.

8. Users under the age of 18 should not be able to create a social networking page.
It is important for users to be aware of the risks of posting personal information online. For children under the age of 18 some may understand the repercussions of their postings, but not all do. Protecting children online is important and fostering a positive childhood is just as important. Friends shouldn’t be made exclusively online. Spending time with friends and other people will help children be successful adults when they have to get out into the world and fend for themselves. When they do become adults, social networking can become an option.

9. All forum and chat room-based websites must require users to provide valid registration information.
To enter any place where you will post information, there should be a way to verify the person is who they say they are. Although these types of technologies may be a little ways off in the future, there is the possibility of verifying correct information. This type of advancement would allow for safe and accountable use of the Internet. Online predators could be prevented, threats thwarted, and accountability for comments and postings can be possible.

10. Private information and records of Internet use should be able to be accessed by legitimate agencies with proper and reasonable documentation.
When there is a threat to national security or a reasonable need for a user’s personal information regarding their Internet use, the government should be allowed to access that information. Although there should be a reasonable feeling of privacy on the Internet, illegal and potentially harmful materials should be able to be tracked. There should be a legitimate way of going about obtaining this information, such as a warrant or filing of some form of paperwork to allow for user privacy.

11. Privacy settings, company regulations and other information regarding email ought to be simple and easily accessible for users.
The way a company tracks use of the Internet on company machines and with company accounts should be plain and simple. These policies should be stressed when starting to work for a company, but also allow for a reasonable amount of privacy regarding other email accounts outside of the workplace. The workplace should be a place for work exclusively and the policies used should be made clear to ensure security for the company and for the users themselves.

12. Society shouldn’t become one with the Internet.
The Internet shouldn’t become the one form of communication and entertainment for everyone. All of our activities cannot be on this one medium. We need to be sure that our personal relationships do not all transfer over to the Internet. Face-to-face communication should be the way of building relationships. The Internet does allow for faster communication and an easy way of accessing information and entertainment. We need to be sure to hold onto the relationships that matter and not become consumed with technology.