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Internet Restrictions to Increase, IOP Speaker Says

Increased regulation of the Internet may soon become the norm, according to Harvard Law School's Jonathan L. Zittrain, who spoke about the changing world of Internet policy at the Institute of Politics (IOP) Tuesday night.

"Whoever controls the boring parameters of the Internet controls a lot," said Zittrain, who serves as executive director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

Zittrain said that increased restrictions are starting to take place, moving the Internet away from today's mostly unregulated system.

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"[The Internet} will be a lot easier to zone in the future," he said.

According to Zittrain, the creation of services like Napster that allow the free trading of MP3 music files on the Internet have led to calls for tighter restrictions.

"It was the advent of Napster that has caused people, in Oliver Stone fashion, to do something," he added.

Zittrain made several off-the-cuff remarks about Jack Valenti, the president of the Motion Picture Association of America who has worked to protect his industry from copyright infringement.

"He's the one who makes sure that Mickey Mouse gets his due," Zittrain said.

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