In the beginning was the Cyberspace

This is a text available in the About section of D3's website. It occurred me to publish an English translation here as well (machine-translated + a few manual improvements).
We made our best to be as less original as possible. Have fun trying to get all the uncredited references.

In the beginning was Cyberspace.

Open to anyone, it became the home of the mind of many good people, the natives. Self-declared independent and with its own rules, without physical borders. Above all free, full of potential and hope for the future.

Soon the abundant fertility of the soil aroused the attention of those still distracted. Forces from much older kingdoms began to invade. Some preached the sacred Law, others came only for the promised gold. After all, if a new sun was rising, it should be for everyone.

The settlers applied the ancient knowledge: laws were passed, walls erected, land sold, fiefdoms and walled gardens built. The common space became smaller and smaller, until it almost disappeared. Legislators, lost, fell into the temptation of suppressing rights as the way to bring order to this lawless land of evildoers and outcasts - a reaction of fear, from those who don't understand where they are and fear the unknown. New-intermediates drained rivers and lakes, erected walls, and begun to collect tolls. We all applauded and admired the convenience of the highway.

Later, we realized. The ancient knowledge had yielded known results. Half a dozen untouchable emperors and a widening gap separating them from the rabble. Capitalize became the order, surveillance the currency. The promise of democratization had become a weapon of manipulation. Disinformation reigned. Hate returned.

And existentially we doubted: after all, it had not been a great idea? The green of the fields gave way to ashes, hope to pessimism. We wanted to change, but didn't know how - maybe there is no longer a way. And the legislators are still lost - maybe everything is lost. And the walls continue to grow with no sign of slowing down. They have reached the state, the schools, the newsrooms. All of Gaul has been occupied.

All of it?! No! All over the world, small groups of unyielding people are still resisting. Among them is the digital rights movement, which combines the technological expertise of hackers with an uncompromising defense of human rights in the digital world.

And we tell you: do not confuse the gray walls you now see with the green fields they hide. The Internet can be a free and beautiful place, but we have lost our way. It is urgent to go back to the origins, to break down the walls. Open instead of close, decentralize instead of centralize. To be more and more free. To understand and think critically about technology, so that we can use reason - not faith - when legislating.

We can and are capable of doing better. A better Internet is possible, a better world is possible. It is also extremely difficult - but that does not intimidate us.
Nor do we know how to be otherwise.
One battle at a time, always for Freedom.
Join the digital rights movement too!