The open internet has an expiration date.
Someone will end up owning, policing or running the internet. The real question is who, and Americans are already picking sides.
In 2023, 55% of U.S. adults said the federal government should limit false information online, even if that means less freedom online, up from 39% in 2018. Even more, 65%, wanted tech companies to do the policing.1 Elsewhere, governments already flip the switch: they shut down the internet 313 times in 2025.2
55% of U.S. adults said in 2023 that the federal government should restrict false information online, up from 39% in 2018 (Pew Research Center).
The trend
More numbers
of Americans now say the government should protect freedom of information even if false information gets published, up from 42% in 2023.1
want tech companies to restrict false information online, down from 65% in 2023.1
cost of government internet shutdowns to the global economy in 2025.2
The other side
Control of the internet is split among many groups, and no single government or company has managed to control the whole network.
of Americans now say government should protect freedom of information even if false information gets published, up from 42% in 2023. Pew Research Center, 2025 ↗
Why Anthony still holds this view
Public opinion swings with who is in power. The tools for shutdowns and moderation keep growing either way.
For marketers
Platforms you build on can be regulated, banned or switched off. Build ways to reach customers directly, like an email list or your own community.
For you
Keep copies of what matters to you offline: contacts, photos and key documents.