The prediction, in brief:

Entire ecosystems of Net-spawned information-seeking robots will be circulating through the Net … How you protect the community from dangers of attack without destroying the openness that makes the community valuable is a social problem, as is the problem of who should pay for access to this increasingly powerful pool of knowledge tools.

Predictor: Rheingold, Howard

Prediction, in context:

In his 1991 book “The Virtual Community,” Howard Rheingold writes:”Judging from the proliferation of Net tools today, it seems clear that entire ecosystems of Net-spawned information-seeking robots will be circulating through the Net. These entities are formally more akin to robots (automata is the precise jargon) than to living creatures, but increasingly, automata are being designed to incorporate biological behaviors. The ‘worms’ that can attack networks, and the ‘viruses’ that pester computer users are the malevolent side of this trend. Knowbots and Rosebud are the benevolent side. In the environment of a heterogeneous, free-form Net, you are going to find both kinds. How you protect the community from dangers of attack without destroying the openness that makes the community valuable is a social problem, as is the problem of who should pay for access to this increasingly powerful pool of knowledge tools.”

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: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: Intelligent Agents/AI

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: Anderson, Janna Quitney