January 17, 2012 10:56PM 

# Today, at Least, Britannica Rules the Web 

By [David Boaz](https://www.cato.org/people/david-boaz) 

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Congratulations to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page) for [going dark for a day](http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wikipedia-blackout-websites-wikipedia-reddit-dark-wednesday-protest/story?id=15373251#.TxXyu6VrPgI) in protest of the “online piracy” bills being considered in Congress.

But what do we do for information today? You know, we’ve gotten used to being able to find information *now*. So here’s an idea: Try the original encyclopedia, the one written (in most cases, ahem) by scholars and experts, [Britannica](http://www.britannica.com/).

You could start with their article on [libertarianism](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/339321/libertarianism). Or indeed their article on [censorship](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/101977/censorship). And then move on to the [columns](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/author/dboaz/) that I wrote there for most of 2011, on such topics as the [debt ceiling crisis](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/08/dysfunction-default-debt-ceiling-crisis/), the [French Revolution](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/07/thinking-french-revolution/), the [founding documents](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/07/anniversaries-china-united-states/) of the United States and the Communist Party of China, the false charge of[ isolationism](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/06/isolationists-coming-isolationists-coming/), [marriage equality](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/06/marriage-law-1967-2011/) in 1967 and 2011, government waste (“[this is the business you have chosen](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/05/government-waste-business-chosen/)”), the [Stonewall](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/05/were-not-going/) protests, the [triumph of feminism](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/03/geraldine-ferraro-triumph-feminism/), and why [Keynes threw towels](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/06/obama-clinton-keynes-enduring-mysteries-job-creation/) on the floor. Good heavens — that ought to keep you busy on Wednesday.

And then Thursday at noon, as Wikipedia and other sites reopen, you can go down to Capitol Hill at noon to see a [panel of experts](https://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=8841) explain what’s wrong with the bills that the websites are protesting.

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