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Feels a little like getting a license from Parliament to run a printing press to catch people printing scandalous pamphlets, no?

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Didn't the printing press lead to the modern idea of copyright, the Reformation, and by extension contributed to the 80 Year's War, and through that Westphalian sovereignty?

Yes, as well as a serious new test of freedom of speech. What’s your point? Technology always advances society’s laws.

There are aplenty of people who don’t believe technology has in any way benefitted humanity, some CS folks themselves even.

Which bit are you "yes, and"-ing?

The religious conflicts? 80 years war?

The invention of copyright (which does still restrict the right to print, it's just enforced with after-the-event prosecution if you print the wrong stuff)?

The invention of the modern nation state?

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