The Internet: A room of our own?

Nick R. Post #5 Dissent Quarterly, summer 2009 Written by Evgeny Morozov
The Internet: a room of our own? is an article about how the Internet is controlled and being controlled by governments, bloggers and social activists. The number of users of the Internet and other smart technologies has increased dramatically in the last decade or so. It affects many social, economic and political forces. It has also created a venue for change. This change is it for better or worse? Or is it a little bit of both? Digital activism is being used by governments around the world, from the State department to Europe. One presumes that the Internet is used by civil society to operate. It provides the means to which a civil group can build and send its message in order to gather a larger following. This can take shape of organizing, fundraising, self publishing and mobilization. This could be good when one is trying to effect change in a particular nation or region. The actual effect of the Internet has been the opposite. It has decreased the power of the nation-state, but on the other hand it has increased the power of not so friendly social groups. The article eludes to the fact that the Internet has provided a place for uncontrollable elements that could be dangerous to society. The article looks to Russia and China for examples of Internet control.
In Russia the Internet has been used in a number of different ways; nationalists use it for propaganda, fundraising and recruitment of new supporters. While the Kremlin uses to spread its ideological beliefs. China censors the use of the Internet by cracking down on pornography and political speech. This censorship technology is being provided by companies from around the world. Earlier this year the Chinese government closed down these "offensive" sites. While the porn sites reopened for business the political speech sites have remained closed. In Russia a blogger named CYXYMU posted blogs criticizing the Russian and Georgian governments. He was subsequently a victim of cyber attacks that resulted in him ultimately being shutdown. Software to censor the Internet is being utilized by the Chinese and other governments. In the U.S. companies try and sensor Google by utilizing software that removes any bad press about said company.

This has to do with social control in so many different ways. The use of the Internet for social activism good be both good and bad depending on who the group is and its intentions for the world or society. Governments are using the Internet to censor opposing thoughts and beliefs form their own citizens. By censoring them on the Internet the government is squashing a productive form of activism. Corporations are using the Internet in a number of ways as well. They are using programs that delete all bad info about them and also monitoring Google to see if they come up in a search on the first page. The Internet itself is up for grabs in terms of social control. You have control hubs fighting for control of information. Policing is going on by bloggers, watchdog groups and governments. Anti governmental groups are spreading their word about change and their ideals/beliefs.