A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace
Year First Appeared
1996
Creator
John Perry Barlow
A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace is a 1996 manifesto by Electronic Frontier Foundation co‑founder John Perry Barlow, written in Davos and published online on February 8, 1996, proclaiming cyberspace independent from government sovereignty and calling for a self‑governing internet community.
Importance in Internet Culture
Appearing as the U.S. passed the Telecommunications Act/Communications Decency Act, it galvanized cyber‑libertarian arguments for minimal state intervention and helped rally resistance that contributed to courts striking down key CDA provisions. It has since framed debates over online self‑governance and free expression.
Interesting Fact
Barlow wrote the piece on deadline for the Kodak‑sponsored “24 Hours in Cyberspace” project at Davos, then emailed it to roughly 600 friends; within months, copies appeared on thousands of sites (about 5, 000 by May and 40, 000 by year’s end). He later said he still “stood by” its claim that cyberspace is naturally immune to sovereignty.