What the Internet "Kill Switch" Bill is Really All About

It's baaaaaaaack -- and this week's world events make abundantly clear what it means.

In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak's regime shut down, as best they could, Internet and cell phone access in order to put a stop to, or at least slow down, a building sentiment for revolution.

In China, the Communist regime censored search results regarding events in Egypt.

The Lieberman/Collins bill is intended to give the US government the same powers -- and for the same reasons. Our lords and masters consider accessible, uncensored communications between the serfs a threat.

And they're right.

Perversely, though, measures like the "Kill Switch" may be just as big a threat.

Right up to the moment the Mubarak regime threw the switch, some Egyptian dissidents were content, or at least willing, to limit themselves to a) spreading the word and b) trying to bring international diplomatic pressure to bear by publicizing the situation.

Shutting down their ability to pursue that strategy made it clear that they were in an "it's Mubarak or us; no help is coming and we're going to win or die" situation, and they acted accordingly.