Episode 2265: Jeff Jarvis on how to reclaim the internet from moguls, misanthropes and moral panics
Dec 7, 2024
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Jeff Jarvis, a prolific writer and former Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation, discusses reclaiming the internet from corporate giants and moral hysteria in his new book, The Web We Weave. He highlights the internet's evolution from an open community to a corporate-dominated environment and critiques surveillance capitalism. Jarvis emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability to protect digital freedoms while addressing the impact of hedge fund ownership on local journalism. His insights offer a bold vision for a community-driven internet.
Jeff Jarvis emphasizes that the current moral panic surrounding the Internet often serves to protect traditional media rather than promote an open web.
He advocates for individuals and communities to reclaim the Internet from corporate control and reshape it to foster genuine connections.
Deep dives
Defending Internet Freedoms
The ongoing conversation highlights a widespread hysteria related to the Internet, with voices advocating for more regulation and censorship due to perceived dangers. This fear has led some countries, like Australia, to propose legislation that limits children's access to social media, raising concerns about whether this is a necessary protection or an overreach that undermines freedoms. Advocates for the Internet, such as Jeff Jarvis, argue that the media's moral panic has exacerbated the issue, as it serves to protect the traditional media landscape rather than fostering an open and free digital space. The growing battles between media moguls and tech companies, particularly from legacy media figures like Rupert Murdoch, signal a deeper conflict regarding the future of both the Internet and our fundamental rights to use it freely.
The Changing Landscape of Digital Ownership
Jeff Jarvis reflects on the early optimism surrounding the rise of the Internet, particularly during the blogging era when it was characterized by open source and collaborative conversation. However, the advent of social media platforms shifted dynamics, leading to increasing corporate control and manipulation of user experiences and content. Jarvis expresses regret for becoming too reliant on these corporate structures, suggesting that individuals and communities should reclaim the Internet for their purposes. His insights underline the importance of maintaining access to and control over digital platforms that encourage genuine interaction rather than distraction.
Rethinking Journalism in the Digital Age
As journalism grapples with the impact of AI and changing business models, the discussion shifts towards the nature and purpose of journalism itself. Jarvis argues that journalism should not be viewed merely as a content-producing factory but rather as a service that enhances community engagement and understanding. While acknowledging that AI can generate content, he emphasizes the unique human skills involved in true journalistic practices, particularly through building relationships within communities. He points out that the broader media industry issues stem largely from management practices, particularly with hedge fund-controlled newspapers, rather than from technological advances alone.
The Role of Regulation and Its Limitations
The complexities of regulating big tech companies are brought to light as Jarvis discusses the implications of existing regulations and their effectiveness in addressing the challenges posed by digital giants like Google and Facebook. He critiques the current regulatory landscape, suggesting that many regulations have inadvertently empowered these companies more than they have restricted them. He supports the idea of establishing frameworks for transparency that enable better understanding of technology’s impact, advocating for a collaborative approach to address arising issues. Ultimately, Jarvis contends that the onus of reclaiming the digital space rests on society as a whole, urging individuals to take responsibility for shaping the Internet’s future.
Yesterday, we featured a conversation with Mozilla co-founder and Internet Hall of Famer, Mitchell Baker, one of the great champions of an open web. Today’s guest, the prolific writer and journalist Jeff Jarvis, is another leading defender of the internet. In his new book, The Web We Weave, Jarvis explains how we can reclaim the internet from moguls, misanthropes and moral panics. The Web, Jarvis argues, is a mirror of all the best and worst aspects of society. It’s us. So only we can reclaim the internet from the Musks, the bots and the moral hysteria now threatening to destroy it.
Jeff Jarvis is the author of six books, including currently "The Web We Weave," "The Gutenberg Parenthesis," and "Magazine." He cohosts the podcasts "This Week in Google" and "AI Inside" and blogs at Buzzmachine. Jarvis is the Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation Emeritus at CUNY's Newmark School of Journalism. In a long career as a journalist, he was creator and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly, president and creative director of Advance Net (online arm of Condé Nast and Advance Local), and TV critic of TV Guide and People.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.
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