Although I am running an internet startup right now, my formal degree is in international political economics. One of my main focuses during my degree was on corruption and its use to control the populace. The internet is creating vast implications for tyrants around the world who in recent history have had a strong hold over the mainstream media. Journalists who talked negatively (or even not enough) about a leader (for example in Iran or in the PA under Arafats rule) would go missing or end up in jail; at best they would just be fired. These corrupt leaders who control the media in order to stay in power are loosing their strong-hold due to new forms of citizen journalism and media sharing. Although countries like Iran have blocked youtube, it is impossible to block every blog and a large number of internet users in these countries (especially Iran) are using proxies to go around these government blocks on certain sites. In summation the internet is having and will continue to have a vast effect on the domestic political situation of many countries. Corruption will be harder to cover and citizens will be able to see a true picture of what is actually happening around them.

[...] It’s only a few weeks until mesh 2007 — you can find more info at the site, including the full schedule of speakers and times, and there are still a few tickets left here, although they are going quickly — but there’s still time for one last mesh social event. So tomorrow night, we’re having a mesh meetup aimed at the political end of the Web 2.0 spectrum. [...]