Information Society Watch

April 22, 2007, Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times

In this article, the author looks at the evolving nature of the Internet and explores the view that this evolution is going to 'destroy' human civilisation. The Internet of yesterday which comprised of dial-up connections, dot-com crashes and some of the worst business plans is fast giving way to a different kind of Internet, Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is more interactive, connected by broadband, has significant user involvement in content generation, and makes money. There are those who feel that this very ‘interactive’ nature of the Internet is ‘digitally narcissist, shameless, self–promoting and downright offensive’ and that it threatens to compromise the basic fabric of human society. The author feels that some of these fears may indeed be true especially given the recent history of online threats to prominent bloggers. The author concludes that Web 2.0 will only be good for us if, somehow, it succeeds in evolving towards an identity-based discourse. Else, it will be mere anarchy.

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