Does the Internet Deliver?
Eight Values as a Yardstick for the Production, Moderation and Regulation of Public Communication on the Internet
The internet has raised many expectations, but has it fulfilled its role as a tool to promote freedom of speech and weaken the efforts of autocrats and others who favor censorship? Has it provided equal access to information and the free exchange of opinions? Some would argue that the internet has brought about surveillance, polarization, filter bubbles, and the digital divide. But is further network regulation necessary? Diverse opinions exist in response to these questions, but what are the facts? What scientific findings can be presented today? Together with Christoph Neuberger, we've defined eight values as criteria to help answer one deceptively simple question: Does the internet deliver? Following this introduction, you'll find a collection of eight short texts, each of which seeks to answer this question using one of the values we've identified. Readers should feel free to either read in chronological order or skip around to those they find to be of interest.