Information Is Free … Now What?

For the overwhelming majority of human history, access to information has been severely limited. Sometimes, this was because the authorities (secular or religious) suppressed unsanctioned ideas, but usually it was the result of simple logistics: if you couldn’t find a living expert or an authoritative book on your topic of interest, there was no other way for you to learn about it.

The 1989 film “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” illustrates this theme beautifully. The entire premise of the movie is that two high-school slackers would have no conceivable way of completing a history project the night before it’s due, unless they had a time machine. Prior to being loaned a time machine, Bill and Ted were sitting in the Circle K parking lot, asking passersby questions about the Mongol invasion of China. With the library closed, and no relevant books in their possession, they were out of options.

Although exaggerated for comic effect, this was largely the predicament that everyone faced, prior to the advent of the Information Age. Once technology made it possible to distribute data cheaply, quickly and widely, the battle cry of hackers and other activists was, “Information wants to be free.”

Today, information’s wish has been granted. It is free. While certain specific content may be hidden behind paywalls and in non-digital formats…