NOT content with inhabiting the global domain that is cyberspace, some
Netizens want to go one stage further and create the newest nation on Earth. All
the necessary ingredients seem to be in place鈥攖he Net has an unbounded
territory that remains largely unexplored, a national dish (pizza), its own
currency (e-cash) and even an indigenous people (you know who you are).
In fact, for those wishing to emigrate (rather than simply take a surfing
holiday) independence has already been declared. See
http://www.independence.xgw.fi/ for the full text of the declaration.
The site asks anyone in favour of the idea of an 鈥淚nternation鈥� to sign in support.
The aim is to gather enough signatures so that the real world has to sit up and
take notice. Who knows, Netizens might even get representation at the United
Nations (http://www.un.org).
If you need convincing about the concept of the Free Internet State read
David Bartelli鈥檚 thesis on the notion that the Internet already is a community
at http://www.computer-services.com/users/bartelli/thesis.htm.
Advertisement
In Netropolitan鈥檚 opinion, even if the Internet is not a nation, it is
certainly in a bit of a state.
