Internet philosophies with imposing names such as cyberlibertarianism, cyberutopianism, technorealism, technohedonism, cyberfeminism and cyberunionism have emerged into the light of intellectual discourse. Delving into the isms of cyberspace might not seem as practical as learning to be efficient when doing a Web search. But, as with philosophy in general, it can help you see the big picture and put matters into context, which can be profitable in all kinds of ways, whether you approach the Internet from a business or consumer perspective. If there's one school of thought that's key in understanding the mindset of the Net and its denizens, it's cyberlibertarianism, which was born during the time when academics and hobbyists dominated the bitstream and which still pervades the commercial Internet today.
Advocates believe in freedom from interference by government and other institutions.
Cyberlibertarianism is a core reason that precious few Web sites can charge for access and still attract visitors, and why advertising has become so prevalent as a revenue source. It's also why Web sites, to succeed, should cede control to surfers by providing such features as multiple navigation routes, an internal search engine, a respectful privacy policy, and personalization and interactivity tools. Though some netheads critically view today's Web as an overcommercialized strip mall, others see it as a virtual utopia. Cyberutopianism holds that the Internet, as the pinnacle of scientific and technological achievement, subverts hierarchy, revitalizes democracy, reduces racial and national conflict, and leads to planetary interconnectivity, unity and holism. Technorealism is a name that has been coined for thinking critically in general about the role that information technology plays in history and society.