Spain orders blocks on Archive.today and its mirrors (reclaimthenet.org)

Article summary

Spain's Intellectual Property Commission has ordered the blocking of Archive.today, a web archiving service, without a court ruling. The blockage redirects users to a government page stating that the site facilitates illegal access to content protected by intellectual property rights. This move has raised concerns about censorship and surveillance. The blockage affects most Spanish internet users who try to access the site.

Main themes

• internet censorship
• AI and decentralization
• civil war and social unrest
• EU policies and regulation
• free speech and liberal values
• darknet and accessibility

What commenters say

• The internet was always doomed to be controlled and censored, given its potential for disrupting traditional power structures.
• The rise of AI and local models may lead to a decentralization of the internet and more control for users.
• A divided military could potentially lead to a civil war, but this is unlikely given the differences in modern armed forces compared to the 1800s.
• The EU's policies on internet regulation and censorship are seen as a threat to free speech and liberal values by some, while others argue that these policies are necessary for protecting intellectual property and preventing harm.
• Some argue that the internet will split into a 'day-job' internet for commercial activities and a 'darknet' for free discussion, with the latter being inaccessible to the common man.
• The distinction between liberal and socialist ideologies is seen as crucial in understanding the implications of internet censorship and regulation.
• Local models and decentralized systems may be more resilient to censorship and control, but they also require access to resources such as electricity and hardware.
• The potential for AI to be used as a tool for exploitation and harm is a concern, particularly in the context of nuclear war and global instability.