What is the internet, to you?

To me the internet's a really big glorified cable network linking us all together, from the current trend of things (youtube removing vids, torrents getting sued, hate laws being introduced, etc) I'd say in our lifetimes it'll come as a package of access to websites such as "unlimited access to facebook" the kind thing you see on phones now, I also think it'll form the backbone for intelligence on citizens for the governments use and I wouldn't count on the internet remaining a free place of speech (which it already isn't you can be sued for upsetting someone)