Cyberspace and the real world

I would like to address the Declaration of Independence of cyberspace, which for me like for others, triggered some strong responses. The Declaration, I will admit, brought up some very interesting and convincing points, and when one were to glance through it quickly, it could be quite convincing. After all, it makes compelling points about limiting the government's interference in a sphere which it has no explicit control over. While it is tempting to believe that since cyberspace is a creation beyond the government's scope of control, this is not actually the case.
Ultimately, the internet is used, viewed, and compiled by human beings, who are all citizens of various countries. The way in which our actions online are an extension of ourselves (citizens of a country who are bound by certain laws) informs the way in which the law can still have jurisdiction over cyberspace. Taking a very concrete example of this, such as someone who manages to steal money from people by getting their credit card information through bogus websites, it becomes clear that there are things people can do online which call for government action. Similarly, there is a problem with the claim that property does not exist online, since in a world which is increasingly based on information, ideas and intellectual property are more valuable than ever. To claim that there need not be regulation of intellectual property could lead to a great deal of damage.
While it might be nice to imagine the internet as a place free of rules and regulations, reality is not that simple. The internet is still used by human beings who live under government rules, and some of what happens online threatens to break those rules. While there is an understandable desire to limit the government's online presence, its presence and regulation cannot be completely eliminated from cyberspace.