Book Review: The Offensive Internet

I read a major part of this book over the winter break. When internet exploded during the decade of 1990s it was fascinating and presented a whole new world to everyone. Specially to people like me struggling students in the third world India. Now decades later the internet is slowly and surely becoming extremely offensive. Internet is everywhere and everything about everyone seems to be online. There has been no discretion about what should and should not be posted on the internet. It is free so everyone wants to post everything over there.

Then there are those who hide behind the cloak of anonymity and post offensive stuff about people, religion, communities, laws, countries, and everything possible. The internet has become the breeding ground for illegal, unethical, and offensive behavior by people who would otherwise be law abiding and quiet citizens of the world.

This book focuses on the perils of having an unhindered internet. This kind of research that focuses on the baneful effects of the internet is perhaps first of its kind. This is one of the few volumes that I have come across that focuses on the abuses and malpractices that are possible because of the anonymity, freedom from litigation, and lack of accountability that the internet provides. The essays featured in the book are all written from scholars of law, philosophy, technology, and other humanistic fields. This concept of the book is more like how to control/ curb the frontier spirit that once upon a time resulted in the conquering, and subsequent elimination of native American tribes and formation of this country. I wonder how much of a real effect this book will have on the establishment, but it sure provides a great starting point.