I had the pleasure of attending an introduction – an ‘onboarding’ – of this year’s new Fellows of The Portulans Institute. There is nothing like meeting a group of talented early career academics and professionals to reinforce my optimism about the future. Our fellows are a clear example of this promise. Screen shot from the … Continue reading Portulans’ New Team of Fellows
Internet Governance
Courtney Bower Joins the Ukraine Case Studies
The Ukraine Case Studies Team is delighted to be joined by Courtney Bower, a Ph.D. candidate in regional science at Cornell University and a Senior Fellow at the Portulans Institute. Courtney’s research examines technological resilience and regional innovation systems. Related topics of his research include the circular economy, post-war reconstruction, infrastructure policy, and Black Sea … Continue reading Courtney Bower Joins the Ukraine Case Studies
Opinion: A. Michael Noll on AI Hype
AI CRAZED HYPE A. Michael Noll Posted with permission of the author AI (artificial intelligence) is gripping the media. The claim is made that computers can think and understand language. Predictions are being made that AI will replace human creativity in music, art, and literature. Others predict that the harm from AI will mean the … Continue reading Opinion: A. Michael Noll on AI Hype
Cybersecurity Capacity Building: The Global Constellation Annual Conference
Cybersecurity Capacity Building: The Global Constellation Annual Conference Theme: Linking Cybersecurity Capacity Research to Development in Africa Organised by the Global Constellation of Cybersecurity Capacity Research Centres Venue: Cape Town, South Africa Dates: 1st – 2nd November 2022 Second Call for Papers and Workshops and Extension The Global Constellation of Cybersecurity Capacity Centres will hold … Continue reading Cybersecurity Capacity Building: The Global Constellation Annual Conference
Rooting for Twitter and Musk
The future of Twitter and of Elon Musk’s ownership of this platform are problematic. That said, it has been clear that Twitter had lost the plot in several respects and could benefit from new ideas and leadership. I’ve used Twitter for over a decade (13 years) and continue to value this platform, such as for … Continue reading Rooting for Twitter and Musk
Inevitable harms of UK regulation of social media
Today's Financial Times raised concerns over the Online Safety Bill under consideration by the UK’s Parliament. It was entitled ‘Tech sector alarmed at Patel push to monitor ‘legal but harmful’ content’ (Bradshaw et al 2022:1). Everyone in the UK should be alarmed – not simply the tech companies.[1] The risk is that by approaching the … Continue reading Inevitable harms of UK regulation of social media
Private Emails Are Not (Yet) a Thought Crime
Private Emails? A Personal Perspective on Politicizing Norms of Communication In Orwell’s 1984, Winston Smith opens himself up to accusations of thought crimes for walking onto a street with a shop where he could buy pen and paper. In 2021, politicians and even the UK’s Information Commissioner wonder if ministers are guilty of some criminal … Continue reading Private Emails Are Not (Yet) a Thought Crime
Jettison the Digital Nanny State: Digitally Augment Users
My last blog argued that the UK should stop moving along the road of a duty of care regime, as this will lead Britain to become what might be called a 'Digital Nanny State', undermining the privacy and freedom of expression of all users. A promising number of readers agreed with my concerns, but some asked … Continue reading Jettison the Digital Nanny State: Digitally Augment Users
Britain’s Digital Nanny State
The way in which the UK is approaching the regulation of social media will undermine privacy and freedom of expression and have a chilling effect on Internet use by everyone in Britain. Perhaps it is because discussion of a new approach to Internet regulation occurred in the midst of the public’s focus on Brexit, this … Continue reading Britain’s Digital Nanny State
Society and the Internet’s 2nd Edition
The 2nd Edition of Society and the Internet should be out in July 2019. You can access information about the book from OUP here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/society-and-the-internet-9780198843504?lang=en&cc=de With the academic year fast approaching, we are hoping that the book will be useful for many courses around Internet studies, new media, and media and society. If you are teaching in this … Continue reading Society and the Internet’s 2nd Edition