FIR Book Review: The Net Delusion by Evgeny Morozov

The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom, by Evgeny Morozov

FIR Book Reviews editor Bob LeDrew reviews Evgeny Morozov’s The Net Delusion. Malcolm Gladwell, in his review of the book, wrote, "Evgeny Morozov offers a rare note of wisdom and common sense, on an issue overwhelmed by digital utopians."

Amazon’s description of the book says, "In this spirited book, journalist and social commentator Evgeny Morozov shows that by falling for the supposedly democratizing nature of the Internet, Western do-gooders may have missed how it also entrenches dictators, threatens dissidents, and makes it harder not easier to promote democracy. Buzzwords like ’21st-century statecraft’ sound good in PowerPoint presentations, but the reality is that ‘digital diplomacy’ requires just as much oversight and consideration as any other kind of diplomacy. Marshaling compelling evidence, Morozov shows why we must stop thinking of the Internet and social media as inherently liberating and why ambitious and seemingly noble initiatives like the promotion of ‘Internet freedom’ might have disastrous implications for the future of democracy as a whole."

Get this podcast:

The Net Delusion, by Evgeny Morozov
Publisher: Public Affairs
432 pages
Published January 2011
ISBN-10: 1586488740
ISBN-13: 978-1586488741

Purchase at Amazon US, Amazon Canada, or Amazon UK.

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