Politics and Network Effects

The Positive Value of Network Effects

Source: Benkler, Wealth of Networks

pp. 7-8: "The basic claim is that the diversity of ways of organizing information production and use opens up a range of possibilities for pursuing the core political values of liberal societies -- individual freedom, a more genuinely participatory political system, a critical culture, and social justice." Distinct but overlapping points:

• "Individual Freedom" - Ability to self-broadcast
• "Genuine Participation" -
  • Timeliness: immediate response of bloggers, YouTubers to media comments.
    • Counterpoint: who really does this? Are we just taking the word of a different set of quasi-authorities?
• "Critical Culture" - access to media, individual's ability to respond.
  • Individual fact-checking (e.g., Hillary's background)
• "Social Justice" -