Who Will Control Cyberspace---Strate, Jacobson and Gibson

Although many of the articles listed in Communication and Cyberspace ring true on many of the issues that we are studying regarding the internet and how we deal with this new technology, the most pervasive article that struck me was about who will control the internet and cyberspace.  In James Beniger's article about control of cyberspace, there seems to be an inevitability that the internet will be controlled eventually by higher powers in our government.  Surprisingly enough, Beniger calls for non controls of the internet but believes it is only destined to be controlled by the governed powers of our government no matter how hard we try to keep this from happening.  He reiterates the need for cyberspace to be a free wheeling body unaffected by governments and giving the powers of freedom to all of those who use it.  Through an underlying tone Beniger seems to be fatalistic in believing that eventually the internet will be controlled by higher powers in government and bureaucratic systems.  His tone is subtle and he strives to believe that our freedoms should never be infiltrated by these governing bodies.  But through it all there seems to be a tone of futile hope where eventually the powers that be will prevail and gain control of cyberspace through what ever means they might find.  There doesn't seem to be much hope found in Beniger's words and lack of inspiration to believe that we can keep cyberspace free of tyranny.  I'd like to think differently as we've already seen the internet help topple governments like Egyptian rule over in the Mideast.  Were it not for the internet and Facebook, Egypt might still have the same rulers in power.  The internet has proven to be an effective tool for free speech and humanistic independence in ways that unmatched any other communication tool.  As we move forward we must remember Beniger's words as a warning to do what ever we can in our power to keep the internet and cyberspace free of all tyranny and keep allowing us to reign free of dictatorial systems that inhibit us from speaking our minds and controlling what we do and think about.  Big Brother must not prevail.