Introduction Habermasian theory of the public sphere stresses the formation of the public sphere through a realm of social life in which public opinion can be formed. With the growth of the Internet, the debate has erupted regarding the utility of the Internet to facilitate the formation of public opinion. The central notion of the public sphere that has dominated the theorization of the issues is based on the notion that the public sphere has the ability to present a platform for the masses to rationalize public opinion and guide the political system, thus, creating a strong democracy. The Internet singularly revolutionized communication, however, whether it has been successful in creating a public sphere, theorized by Habermas, is debatable. New technologies like the Internet provide tools that allow public sphere to extend its role in the social and political arena. Cyberspace provides a space for the online discourse on political and social issues to be discussed. The Internet provides access to global forums wherein users can express their opinion without any form of interference or mediation by the government or any such institutions. However, many are skeptical about the non-stop chatter in the ever-present chat rooms of MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, etc. Even though there are many speculations, many online political forums and projects aim at expanding Internet democracy. Avoiding any deterministic attitude towards online technology, it is safe to assert that the Internet has helped in establishing a political, social, and economic environment. Proponents of cyberspace believe that this media will successfully create an alternate, democratic space for public participation. However, skeptics have their doubts. This essay argues that the Internet has been an unsuccessful medium for developing a public space using the Habermasian theory of Public Sphere. The paper will first discuss the theory of public sphere as discussed by Habermas and then apply the theory to ascertain the success of the Internet as a medium for creating public sphere. Theory of Jürgen Habermas Habermas believed that the public sphere emerged through the process of communication between people. He believed that a public sphere is formed when private individuals assembled to communicate their views and formed a public body. In the introduction to his seminal work, The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere , Habermas points out: … publicness (or publicity) of representation was not constituted as a social realm, that is, as a public sphere; rather, it was something like a status attribute… Representation in the sense in which the members of a national assembly represent a nation or a lawyer represents his clients had nothing to do with this publicity of representation inseparable from the lord’s concrete existence that, as an aura,’ surrounded and endowed his authority. (Habermas, 1989, p. 7) People usually conferred to the process of public sphere formation as they adhered to a public body and communicated in an unrestricted environment. Thus, the realm or space where the private individuals assembled to communicate their ideas allowed unhindered freedom to assemble and express their opinions. The issue of discussion was not primary as it could be any topic of general interest. Habermas believed that people acted as a public body when they communicated with unhindered freedom. He po