Law in the Information Society

Technology, as we are regularly seeing, is a two-edged sword. Technology may make law enforcement much more difficult, because it enables anonymity, and facilitates the ability of individuals to engage in communications with minimal attention to traditional political boundaries. However, technology raises ever new possibilities for police enforcement techniques as well. This story from Australia, Police ditch web auto-search, provides just one example of the joys of automation and the increased ability to monitor communications activity. Although this particular initiative may not have been deemed to be particularly successful, one can't help but suspect that there is a great deal of monitoring of web site communications in our futures. What impact is that likely to have on the potential of the Internet to be a vehicle for increased democratic participation, especially where the participation takes on the kind of critical tone of the Sievexh website.