Why did people in the 90s/early 00s say that the internet "couldn't be taken down"? - eviltoast

Or am I the only one remembering this opinion? I felt like it was common for people to say that the internet couldn’t be taken down, or censored or whatever. This has obviously been proven false with the Great Firewall of China, and of Russia’s latest attempts of completely disconnecting from the global internet. Where did this idea come from?

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    4 days ago

    The internet couldn’t and still can’t be taken down - but countries can certainly restrict it within their locale (though it is insanely difficult).

    The opinion is that the internet as a concept and set of protocols was and is too widespread to ever fully dismantle and one dude with a mission can capture and preserve an immense amount of data.

    That’s still all true but doesn’t hold for social media walled gardens which have come to control a huge proportion of communication.