There’s good reason to keep records on paper – it’s the one medium that never goes out of style. And as governments provide their information online, those who are wired to the Net will continue to become more powerful, those without modems will become even more disenfranchised.
Predictor: Stoll, Clifford
Prediction, in context:In his 1995 book “Silicon Snake Oil,” writer Clifford Stoll shares his take on the Internet’s future implications for democracy and politics: ”There’s a feeling that computer access may save money and release governments from the responsibility of printing hard copies. But there’s a serious trade-off here: This could jeopardize our right to free and open access to government information … There’s good reason to keep records on paper – it’s the one medium that never goes out of style. And as governments provide their information online, those who are wired to the Net will continue to become more powerful, those without modems will become even more disenfranchised. For these reasons, let’s hope that federal and state governments don’t succumb to the temptation to abandon printed publications.”
Biography:Clifford Stoll was an astrophysicist who also wrote the influential books “Silicon Snake Oil” (1995) and “The Cuckoo’s Egg.” A long-time network user, Stoll made “Silicon Snake Oil” his platform for finding fault with the Internet hype of the early 1990s. He pointed out the pitfalls of a completely networked society and offered arguments in opposition to the hype. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics
Subtopic: Democracy
Name of publication: Silicon Snake Oil
Title, headline, chapter name: An Amalgam of Popular Fictions About the Internet, Including Brief Trips to China and The City of No Illusions
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 34
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Tencer, Elizabeth L.