The Net Delusion: How Not to Liberate The World

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

We were promised that the internet would set us free. From the Middle East's 'twitter revolution' to Facebook activism, technology would spread democracy and bring us together as never before. We couldn't have been more wrong. In The Net Delusion Evgeny Morozov shows why internet freedom is an illusion. Not only that - in many cases the net is actually helping oppressive regimes to stifle dissent, track dissidents and keep people pacified, with companies such as Google and Amazon helping them do it. This book shows that free information doesn't mean free people - and that, right now, everyone's liberty is at stake. 'A brilliant and courageous book.' The New York Times 'Gleefully iconoclastic, unfailingly readable, provocative, enlightening.' Economist 'Passionate, admirable and important.' Observer 'The book is a wake-up call to those who think the internet is the solution to all our problems.' Daily Telegraph 'A delight . . . his demolition job on the embarrassments of 'internet freedom' is comprehensive.' Independent 'Piercing . . . convincing . . . timely' Financial Times

Reviews

Evgeny Morozov offers a rare note of wisdom and common sense, on an issue overwhelmed by digital utopians -- MALCOLM GLADWELL
Gleefully iconoclastic ... not just unfailingly readable: it is also a provocative, enlightening and welcome riposte to the cyber-utopian worldview. * The Economist *
A delight ... his demolition job on the embarrassments of "internet freedom" is comprehensive ... as we go down the rabbit-hole of WikiLeaks, Morozov's humane and rational lantern will help us land without breaking our legs. -- Pat Kane * The Independent *
A passionate and heavily researched account of the case against the cyber-utopians ... only by becoming "cyber-realists" can we hope to make humane and effective policy. -- Bryan Appleyard * New Statesman *
Evgeny Morozov is wonderfully knowledgeable about the Internet-he seems to have studied every use of it, or every political use, in every country in the world (and to have read all the posts). And he is wonderfully sophisticated and tough-minded about politics. This is a rare combination, and it makes for a powerful argument against the latest versions of technological romanticism. His book should be required reading for every political activist who hopes to change the world on the Internet. * Michael Walzer, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton *
The Net Delusion is considerably more than an assault on political rhetoric ... a war against complacency. -- Tom Chatfield * Observer *
Required reading for all ... a compelling primer and rebuff to the "cyber utopians" ... trenchant and persuasive. -- John Kampfner * Sunday Times *
Lively and combative ... dauntingly well-informed ... injects a welcome dose of common sense into an issue that has been absurdly lacking in it. -- John Preston * Sunday Telegraph *
Piercing...convincing...timely. -- Ben Hammersley * Financial Times *
[M]ore than rewards a respectful reading, not only for the author's impressive knowledge of the internet toolbox...but because of his ability to relate such technological gadgetry to the increasing challenges that are being posed to entrenched authoritarianism -- James M Murphy * Times Literary Supplement *
Selected by the New York Times as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2011 * New York Times *

Author Bio

Evgeny Morozov is the author of The Net Delusion- The Dark Side of Internet Freedom (which was the winner of the 2012 Goldsmith Book Prize) and a contributing editor for The New Republic. Previously, he was a visiting scholar at Stanford University, a Schwartz fellow at the New America Foundation, a Yahoo fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown, and a fellow at the Open Society Foundations. His monthly column on technology comes out in Slate, Corriere della Sera, El Pais, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and several other newspapers. He's also written for the New York Times, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and the London Review of Books. evgenymorozov.com