ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: Since the Internet was introduced into mainstream America several years ago, it has seen tremendous growth. The Web is a place where the English language and American culture dominate. But to many countries, this is seen as a threat to their own culture. CNN technology correspondent Mary Kathleen Flynn clicks in with an explanation.</s>MARY KATHLEEN FLYNN, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): EuroDisney in France, perhaps one of the most visible and controversial places to see the march of American culture across the planet. Julius Caesar may have conquered Gaul with Roman legions, the U.S. is doing it with Mickey Mouse and the Internet. The Internet started in the U.S. And so far, that's where it's flourished. Almost 2/3 of the world's Web traffic comes from the U.S. Japan is second, followed by Germany. Even though the number of Web use outside the U.S. is expected to grow faster than that of Americans, most of what you find on the Web is American, and some countries find that threatening.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a lot of government fears that American imperialism of all kinds, you know, whether it's our food or our Internet.</s>FLYNN: Here at the United Nations, delegates can follow the debate by listening to translators. That may stop the U.N. from turning into a Tower of Babel. But you often miss the subtleties and nuances of a language. Hence that old expression, something got lost in the translation. (voice-over): Programs like this one on the Web, called Free Translation, from Transparent Language, can help you get the gist of a Web site in another language, but not everyone likes that idea. Groups in France have been fighting for years to protect the French language and French culture from being swamped by English words and a culture that's predominantly American. As more countries add Web sights in their own language, there will be more pressure to translate the Internet into other languages. Mary Kathleen Flynn, CNN, New York.
Many Countries See American-Dominated Web as Threat to Own Culture