It is the right of the citizens to remind elected policymakers that these technologies were created by people who believed that the power of computer technology can and should be made available to the entire population, not just to a priesthood. The future of the Net cannot be intelligently designed without paying attention to the intentions of those who originated it.
Predictor: Rheingold, Howard
Prediction, in context:In his 1991 book “The Virtual Community,” Howard Rheingold writes: ”As big government and big business line up to argue about which information infrastructure would be better for citizens, it is the right of the citizens to remind elected policymakers that these technologies were created by people who believed that the power of computer technology can and should be made available to the entire population, not just to a priesthood. The future of the Net cannot be intelligently designed without paying attention to the intentions of those who originated it.”
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, 1990
Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure
Subtopic: Universal Service
Name of publication: The Virtual Community
Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter Three: Visionaries and Convergences: The Accidental History of the Net
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/3.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Smith, Ian T.