Apple is a bigger threat than SOPA

I think Apple is laying the groundwork for a next generation internet. An internet politicians and big companies would like to see. An internet that no longer resembles the free and open internet we know today.

Speaking in glittering generalities, Apple has the ability to manage what you run on your iPhone/iMac/MacBook/iPad.

For example:

• Apps only work with Apple's approval.
• Apple can wipe out programs on your phone at their whim.
• Songs downloaded from itunes cannot play on non-Apple hardware.
• You have to register what computers you use to interface itunes.

They have recently released icloud. You no longer have to download media and bring it with you. It won't be long until you can't download anything at all. You will only be able to collect your songs/movies/shows that are already available in the icloud.

Apple is also dabbling in search. Talk about controlling what sites their users can see in Apple's version of the internet! They will have complete control of what their users can access. They will have the power to block any site they want, much like Disney completely controls the user experience at their theme parks.

If Apple manages to pull this off, it wont be long before Google and major ISPs try to emulate apples closed-internet infrastructure.