Internet via public WiFI :another Government's lie

, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, during a press conference formally announcing that the government had finally decided - after nearly five years - to repeal the provisions contained in the Counter-Terrorism Decreto Pisanu notorious for access to the Internet via public WiFi locations, replacing them with new regulations such as to balance the security needs and those promoting access to the Net

"From January 1" - Minister Maroni said at a press conference - "we introduce the liberalization of wifi connections as it does today ... no need to first register with the photocopy of the identity, etcetera, etcetera."
The video of the press conference here on the Internet, a reminder to everyone - including minister - his words.

For over a month since that date and, in particular to a handful of days after the end of the year, unfortunately, nothing has been done to turn the promises into reality.

There is therefore a real risk - but at this point, perhaps one should say the certainty - that on 1 January 2011 Italy continues to be the only country in the world in which to connect to the Internet while having some coffee, show proof of identity and then leave the manager of the bar extraordinarily large quantity of personal data relating to what we did on the Net

All this in full knowledge that serves no useful purpose to anything in terms of counter-terrorism and that, instead, represents one of many reasons of backwardness of the country in terms of diffusion of new technologies.

It is, however, and it spelled the same former Minister Pisanu, the provisions of the law of dubious constitutionality already when they were launched, weather now become, however, unnecessary.

So far, the Minister Maroni was just a bluff, also if media and politically successful. The Government has not really done anything to keep faith in his promises having had a wonderful opportunity.

On 15 December, in fact, the Senate approved the text of the law of Decree-Law security, without, however, agree to discuss the various amendments that sought to translate its words into deeds of Mr Maroni.

No doubt that if the government and the majority had wanted to keep faith with the commitments made, might allow to discuss the amendments, repeal and approve, so finally the provisions of anti-Internet and anti-freedom.

None, however, was spent for this to happen, a clear sign that the modernity of the country and the freedom of its citizens is, for those who govern us, only a few words at the press conference but not much more, or at least not enough to make political choices are consistent with what has been promised.