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Russia's Medvedev "Only World Leader" Who Understands Internet, Says Wikipedia Founder

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Al Gore might have invented the internet, but Russian president Dmitry Medvedev is the political leader who understands it like no other. That's what Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales told a gathering of Russian reporters in Moscow earlier this week following the E-G8 meeting in France this month.

At the E-G8 meeting, the E meaning electronic, French president Nicolas Sarkozy called on internet CEOs to give some advice on the future of the web. "Unfortunately, Sarkozy's view on the internet is that it must be controlled and regulated. And at the G8 meeting, President Medvedev was the only leader to say something sensible whatsoever. So I think the headline of the story should be that Jimmy Wales says that President Medvedev is the only world leader who actually understands the internet," Wales said.

Medvedev recognizes the ongoing fight against piracy and protection of copyright laws, but says that many people also have an interest in sharing information freely.

"China is continuing to censor the internet and we are seeing some countries in the G8 moving to regulate the internet. We have to remain vigilant," Wales said.