"Democracy and Digital Media" conference (in Boston)

[Doug Schuler]

FYI,

Here is the abstract of a presentation I'm giving at MIT next week at
the Democracy and Digital Media conference.  Ira Magaziner from the
Clinton administration and several other digerati -- and non-digerati
-- people will also be presenting.  The web site is
http://media-in-transition.mit.edu.

-- Doug


                      Democracy and the Internet:

                 Reports of their Close Relationship
                  Appears to have been Exaggerated

                           Doug Schuler

                             Abstract

                Democracy and Digital Media Conference
                               MIT
                            May, 1998

The media that democratic societies employ have profound effects on how
democracy is conceptualized and practiced.  Furthermore, any type of
communication technology has some malleability and can be made less
democratic or more so through a variety of means.  The "digerati", on
the other hand, seem to believe that the Internet is inherently
democratic.  Sadly most signs indicate that the Internet is becoming
less -- not more -- democratic with each passing day.  As an
unrepentant meliorist I'll offer several concrete suggestions (such as
community networks) in my talk which are worth considering in the event
that we as a society decide that democracy deserves more than lip
service.


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