But there is another, darker path marked by monopoly, surveillance, and censorship. A tremendous power shift is under way. It is about people and our ability to connect with one another in new ways much more than it is about fiber optic cables and multimedia appliances. The technology enabled the power shift, but the shift was created by people who used the tool to educate themselves. I understand why the highway metaphor is used, but it doesn't interest me.
Highways are boring.
Communities are more exciting. I believe the Internet can be a tool for rebuilding a sense of community in our fragmented society. And I believe the ability and freedom of citizens to communicate with each other without prior restraint on their expression is as fundamental to democracy as it is to community. The power of virtual communities and computer networks derives from two unique characteristics of computer-mediated communication. The reporters and editors and producers and owners of these media are gatekeepers who determine which information the far larger audience sees, and which information it doesn't see.