The Internet

We know that new e-mail subscribers are joining the Internet in their thousands every day, and that new web pages are being added at ten times that rate. Computer speeds are doubling every eighteen months. The size and price of components is coming down, and more and more trade is done over the Net. But what are the social implications of all this? What are the philosophical questions which might be asked of this technological revolution?

These are some of the issues which lie beneath Gordan Graham's study of the moral and social aspects of the Internet. He approaches the subject of information technology by looking at the most common fears and claims. Is the Net a force for democracy or anarchy? Will it disseminate useful information or just lots more pornography? He brings to bear the disciplines of traditional philosophy in analysing what appear to be completely new social phenomena.


The problem is that these are populist, tabloid newspaper questions, and unfortunately his consideration of them is conducted at a similar level. Much of his analysis show signs of sloppy thinking. He makes little distinction between the different forms of digital technology. E-mail, newsgroups, and the Web are all discussed as if they worked in the same manner. In discussing the issue of censorship for instance (to which he returns again and again) he cites Netiquette as an instance of self-regulation - then passes on to discuss web sites as if they were same thing as e-mail messages.

In general, he comes down on the side of toleration, good sense, and caution. But oh dear, it takes him a long time to reach conclusions which are fairly obvious to any moderately experienced Net user. This study might persuade moral philosophers to take the Internet more seriously, but it's unlikely to have a philosophically instructive effect on regular users, because they know that the picture is more complex and subtle than his over-simplified generalisations he offers.