Virtual communities could help citizens revitalize democracy, or they could be luring us into an attractively packaged substitute for democratic discourse.
Predictor: Rheingold, Howard
Prediction, in context:In a 1993 article for The Seattle Times, Paul Andrews interviews Howard Rheingold. Andrews writes: ”Howard Rheingold, a Mill Valley, Calif.-based author and town crier of what he calls the ‘Virtual Community,’ doesn’t particularly defend the unsavory side of CMCs – computer-mediated communications. He does point out that freedom of expression is sacrosanct, and that humanitarianism and progressivism flourish online just as strongly … What concerns Rheingold is that the online community’s eclectic freedoms could be at risk if big government and megamerged corporations take control of the data highway. In ‘Disinformocracy,’ the final chapter of his new book, ‘The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier,’ Rheingold warns that ‘virtual communities could help citizens revitalize democracy, or they could be luring us into an attractively packaged substitute for democratic discourse.'”
Biography:Howard Rheingold, one of the first writers to illuminate the ideals and foibles of virtual communities, published a webzine called Electric Minds and wrote “Virtual Reality,” “Smart Mobs” and “Virtual Community.” He also was the editor of Whole Earth Review and the Millennium Whole Earth Catalog. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics
Subtopic: Democracy
Name of publication: Seattle Times
Title, headline, chapter name: Author Backs Freedom of Online Expression – Concerns Raised on Control of Data Highway
Quote Type: Partial quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=44d5a7ddba65f99f5b12dab299fb936d&_docnum=21&wchp=dGLbVlz-lSlAl&_md5=22ed5afb78656cdf870dc3358b1a4164
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Smith, Ian T.