Worried About Trump, Internet Archive Seeks Haven In Canada
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – As the Trump administration prepares to take power, San Francisco-based Internet Archive announced plans to create a mirror site in Canada, away from any possible new online restrictions.
Without mentioning President-elect Donald Trump by name, the nonprofit said in a blog post "On November 9th in America, we woke up to a new administration promising radical change. It was a firm reminder that institutions like ours, built for the long-term, need to design for change."
"For us, it means keeping our cultural materials safe, private and perpetually accessible. It means preparing for a Web that may face greater restrictions," the group went on to say. "It means serving patrons in a world in which government surveillance is not going away; indeed it looks like it will increase."
During his campaign, Trump called on the government to work with Silicon Valley to find a way to shut down parts of the internet to keep violent extremists offline.
Shutting off the internet is technically impossible, as the internet is a global web of networks owned by numerous governments, individuals and corporations and no single entity has control.
If it were possible, civil libertarians say an internet shutdown would inevitably infringe on the free-speech rights of Americans.
Trump has also voiced opposition to Net Neutrality.
The Internet Archive said creating a mirror site in Canada would cost millions of dollars and is currently in the process of fundraising.
It is unclear when the Canadian site would be up and running.