We could have a digital wasteland of pablum served by business purveyors to couch potatoes obediently consuming it. Or we could have robust, diverse access to information in communities of any size and an uplifting of democratic principles in their best form.
Predictor: Warren, Jim
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 interview with reporter Michelle Vranizan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Jim Warren addresses the issue of graphic information and censorship on the Internet. He says the nation’s policies toward this concern will determine what will happen in cyberspace: ”We could have a digital wasteland of pablum served by business purveyors to couch potatoes obediently consuming it. Or we could have robust, diverse access to information in communities of any size and an uplifting of democratic principles in their best form.”
Biography:Jim Warren was the founding editor of Dr. Dobbs’ Journal, a publication about high-tech, and was the founder/organizer of the West Coast Computer Faire. He was active in networking in the 1980s and by 1992 had organized the First Computers, Freedom and Privacy Conference and set up the first online public dialogue link with the California legislature. When he won an EFF Pioneer Award in 1992, he was noted as being “instrumental in assuring that rights common to older mediums and technologies are extended to computer networking.” (Pioneer/Originator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Censorship/Free Speech
Name of publication: Times-Picayune
Title, headline, chapter name: Cybersex Heats Up Debate Over Censorship
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=60d897927981a41f7734a0fa7a2429f5&_docnum=2&wchp=dGLbVtb-lSlzV&_md5=fc78d007ecf7c6ce3cff33b45aad8bb0
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Walsh, Meghan