Information Society Watch

2007, Thomas Lowenhaupt & Michael Gurstein

The Internet’s impact on cities grows daily as it electronically enables the meeting, movement, and exchange of people, ideas, products, and cultures at a range and frequency never before possible, creating what is called the “global village”. This paper looks at certain of the effects that the emergence of this global village has had on cities and explores ways that one significant element of the Internet can be remoulded to support the traditional and progressive role of the city: as the ambience for creativity and innovation, the fountainhead of progressive movements and so on. The authors argue for the creation of category of TLD’s to respond to the needs of Global Cities (GC TLDs) following the pattern set for country level TLDs, i.e. with the management and overall goal of these TLD’s being to operate in and support the broader public good (Adapted from authors).

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