Information Age | The Information Age May Not Foster Democracy

The Internet is inherently democratizing.

Wrong. Pundits and politicians alike are fond of making this claim, but it is an empty truism and a dangerous one at that. The Internet does have strong democratic proclivities. As a vast forum that encourages “many-to-many” interaction, the Net makes it possible for citizens around the world to participate in public dialogue. Its decentralized structure helps individuals bypass gatekeepers and control the flow of information and goods. And its nonproprietary nature—no one owns the technical protocols that make the Net...

[The entire page is 2489 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the: