Help me out with this post... Are you looking for a political reponse from AOIR? Are you asking for participation in Kerry's blog? the Daily Kos?

Am I missing something?

I'd like to see an empirical analysis and objective study of the limitations of so-called Internet "freedom." In other words, instead of talking about cyberspace and it's wonders in the utopian abstract, the post was designed to elicit some potential thoughts and ideas on the need to map out just how bound by the real world the Internet is, especially in regards to issues like freedom of speech and expression. In particular, while there has been prior research done that looks at so-called totalitarian and dictatorial societies like China, I'm curious to see how Herman and Chomsky's theories regarding the Manufacture of Consent in so-called Democratic countries like the United States play out in cyberspace and how that intersects with traditional broadcast and print media. In the U.S., which is more prevalent: governmental, corporate, or individual censorship of unpopular voices on the net? Stuff like that. That's imprecise and I'm rambling, but I think you get the point. If someone's done these type of in-depth studies already, please point me to them. I'm not an academic, so I depend on you highly trained folks to do this work for me, so that I can then go out and apply it to my activism and advocacy work. Thank you. Art