Alternative Future (#5): Who owns the internet of the future? | Ordinary Things
Summary
Host Sherelle Dorsey introduces a playlist exploring intentional future-building, featuring an anonymous speaker on the internet’s fragility. The episode examines how centralized control, surveillance, and disinformation threaten the web’s original decentralized ideals. It contrasts state censorship in places like Myanmar with the power of digital activism, urging listeners to protect the internet’s openness and accountability.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Liquid IV, Modafinil, and Rinse Laundry
Introduction: The Future of the Internet and Its Evolution
The Double-Edged Sword: Benefits and Risks of Connectivity
Internet as Infrastructure: Mobile Access and Exchange Points
Digital Resistance: Internet Shutdowns in Iran, Iraq, and Myanmar
The Disinformation Crisis: Misinformation and Platform Moderation
Anonymity vs. Regulation: Identity and Internet Sovereignty
State Propaganda and the Power of Individual Voices
Mega Platforms, Data Centers, and the Rise of Super Apps
Conclusion: Preserving an Open and Cooperative Internet
Outro and Sponsors: Liquid IV and Tire Guarantee
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