platform2
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platform2 [2018/03/20 21:13] admin created |
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| ==== Then ==== | ==== Then ==== | ||
| - | The consensus among historians today that the Internet played an essential part in the 21st Century emergence of vast planetary movements strong enough to overthrow the dying capitalist world-system. But for a long time it was a contested arena and a two-edged sword.The abandoned step-child of the U.S. military network designed to survive atomic attack, it was taken up by university researchers, students, hackers and networks of anti-capitalist protesters around the globe. At the same time, governments and corporations began exploiting the technology for political surveillance and commercial exploitation. | + | The consensus among historians today that the Internet played an essential part in the 21st Century emergence of vast planetary movements strong enough to overthrow the dying capitalist world-system. But for a long time it was a contested arena and a two-edged sword.The abandoned step-child of the U.S. military network designed to survive atomic attack, it was taken up by university researchers, students, hackers and networks of anti-capitalist protesters around the globe. At the same time, governments and corporations began exploiting the technology for political surveillance and commercial exploitation (see [[platform2#the_dark_side|below]]). |
| Two qualities enabled the passengers and crew of Starship Earth to use the World Wide Web as a Place to Stand (Platform) and wield the Lever of Planetary Solidarity. These were: | Two qualities enabled the passengers and crew of Starship Earth to use the World Wide Web as a Place to Stand (Platform) and wield the Lever of Planetary Solidarity. These were: | ||
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| 2. Its practical, tactical capacity to draw together in struggle isolated individuals and groups despite geographical and institutional obstacles. | 2. Its practical, tactical capacity to draw together in struggle isolated individuals and groups despite geographical and institutional obstacles. | ||
| - | === The Dark Side of the Internet === | + | === The Dark Side === |
| However, the Internet also has its dark side, and much of what we find there was genuinely frightening. The evidence is easy to find. Governments and corporations were both heavily invested in the massive collection, storage, and analysis of mega-data about peoples personal lives (a practice the U.S. government long denied). Corporations like Amazon employed sophisticated algorithms (profiling potential customers) for the purpose of manipulating people to spend. Governments used the same techniques (profiling potential opponents) for the purposes of repressing people. To preserve its franchise in the Middle East, the U.S. launched drones (“flown” by pilots in Idaho) to assassinate profiled opponents in Pakistan and photograph protesters in the U.S. Amazon began to speed-deliver purchases by drone. Dystopian Sci-fi was coming to life. | However, the Internet also has its dark side, and much of what we find there was genuinely frightening. The evidence is easy to find. Governments and corporations were both heavily invested in the massive collection, storage, and analysis of mega-data about peoples personal lives (a practice the U.S. government long denied). Corporations like Amazon employed sophisticated algorithms (profiling potential customers) for the purpose of manipulating people to spend. Governments used the same techniques (profiling potential opponents) for the purposes of repressing people. To preserve its franchise in the Middle East, the U.S. launched drones (“flown” by pilots in Idaho) to assassinate profiled opponents in Pakistan and photograph protesters in the U.S. Amazon began to speed-deliver purchases by drone. Dystopian Sci-fi was coming to life. | ||
platform2.txt · Last modified: 2018/05/18 10:56 by admin
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