As we, here in the United States celebrate our independence this Fourth of July, we are reminded that the liberties and freedoms that come with that independence have yet to be won online. As citizens of this country we are blessed with safety and security from threats both foreign and domestic, but those guarantees have not yet extended to our citizenship in the global Internet community. This is true not just for American citizens, but for all Internet users throughout the world.

Regardless of nationality, citizenship, color or religion we all share a commonality online in that we are all equally at risk of the threats and abuses so prevalent on the Internet. We all are equally vulnerable to spam email, equally at risk of infection from malware and spyware, and equally targeted by identity theft and online fraud. Our personally identifiable information is equally at risk online no matter where we are from or what flag we represent. As citizens of the global Internet community, we share equality in risk, because we are very similar in nature and demographics. From the operating systems installed on our PC or laptop, the web browser or email client we use, to the Internet Service Provider we connect to every day, we all share commonalities that expose us to the same types of risks and threats when online.

While we as individuals are unique in our life experiences such as education, wealth, stature and etiquette, we shed the majority of these traits once we connect to the Internet. We move from the uniqueness of an individual to a commonality brought on by the technology we use, and it is this technology that brings with it the risks to our freedom and security online. All technology used to interact on and communicate with the Internet, whether hardware, software, analog or broadband, wired or wireless, brings with it types and severities of risk to our online security and privacy.

Access to the Internet has always brought with it a set of risks, but more importantly it has provided a set of freedoms: freedom to express our ideas and opinions, freedom to learn about the world and the truths it contains, and freedom to communicate across the boundaries of territory, government, class and religion. There is power in the freedoms we have online but with this online freedom—as with personal freedom—it brings with it risk and insecurity. These are the inescapable costs of using the Internet, accepting the luxury of this online freedom also means accepting the risks.

We are all familiar with the issues of security on the web. Our online identities have always been the target of hackers and malware, but the threat has changed. With our bank accounts, medical records, and other personal information migrating to Internet-connected systems at an ever increasing rate, the online threats once thought of as nuisances are now regarded as some of the most serious risks to private businesses and governments. And while the majority of attacks seek some type of financial gain for the perpetrators, we are becoming aware of an even larger threat as we watch the maturing of state-sponsored cyber attacks and cyber terrorism.

Here in America we are fortunate to enjoy the freedom and security that much of the world takes for granted. These freedoms have for a century been the subject of intense debate, cause for civil protest, and the justification for world wars. Many of our best and brightest have given everything to ensure it, some giving more than others but each sacrificing in the name of freedom.

As a global Internet community, however, we have yet to come together as a unified people to enforce and guarantee our online security and privacy, both aspects of our online freedom. We continue to enable our own victimization with complacency and inaction. Until we as citizens of this global community take upon ourselves the responsibility to secure and protect our online identities, until we become stewards of the Internet community to use on a daily basis, until we decide to fight as hard for the privilege of freedom online as we have to secure our freedoms and liberties at home, the Internet will remain a place of risk and threat.