It’s the End of the Internet as We Know it and I Feel Fine
The new book “The Future of the Internet - And How to Stop It” by Jonathan Zittrain is about the history and development of the internet and looking towards the future were the internet is more controlled and regulated. The internet started just as its name implies as a network between users and their computers in which information was transmitted, using Zittrains analogy, like a person being passed around through a moss pit. In the past this was not much of a problem, but now that the internet had exploded in popularity safety concerns have arisen because of people that prey upon this free flow of information and try and use it for their own illegal purposes. Things like viruses, trojans and worms are commonplace now and it is worried that this fragile network might be in danger because of that.
Zittrain talks about how most of the newer internet products, usch as iPhones, XBoxes, and TiVos are different in that users cannot easily modify them and create new applications to run on them. The vendors and their partners are the only ones to do so limiting the users creativity and freedom to use the product. The trade-off for this loss of freedom is additional safety from unwanted programs and viruses.
Zittrain sites user generates technologies like Wikipedia as models for success and encourages the development of technologies for users to work collectively and creatively together.
The problem with his argument is while yes it is bad that corporations want to limit freedom and creativity with their products the reasons the do so is because it is the way they protect their proprietary property intellectual and otherwise. Applications like Kazaa that allow users to share files and content are fine but when they provide copywrited material free of charge it is difficult to show how that is a positive to the business that owns the copywrite. Wikipedia while a success is not exactly racking in the dough. The are supported by donations that barely keep them afloat. Unfortunately businesses come down to money and if you can’t make something profitable then it will not work.
The idea that the internet is free and everyone can share it is fine but someone has to pay for it eventually. The corporations are introducing their own products that make it so people cannot download and use content that they do not approve of. Considering the purpose of a corporation is to make money it only makes sense they do so. Since it is so hard to make money with most content being offered for free it was only a matter of time before corporations pushed back. While it would be nice to live in a world where everything is free and people can get whatever they want it is just not economically feasible now. So the internet is changing but its not the catastrophic event that many would think.
Last 3 posts by D WallZ
- Comic Con Geeks - Aug 6th, 2008
- Religulous - Jul 3rd, 2008
- SNUFF - May 26th, 2008
Related Posts
While the current trend in internet development is likely not catastrophic, it is crucial that net neutrality is established and maintained. To read about more efforts to increase network neutrality, visit Bright Future
We are a new website dedicated to spreading awareness about solutions to our world’s most pressing problems.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:28 pm