THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY David L. Bender, Publisher Bruno Leone, Executive Editor Scott Barbour, Managing Editor Brenda Stalcup, Senior Editor Charles P. Cozic, Book Editor Other Books in the Current Controversies Series: The Abortion Controversy The AIDS Crisis Alcoholism Drug Trafficking Energy Alternatives Ethics Europe Family Violence Free Speech Gambling Gun Control Hate Crimes Hunger Illegal Immigration Interventionism Iraq Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Police Brutality Pollution Reproductive Technologies Sexual Harassment Violence Against Women Violence in the Media Women in the Military Youth Violence No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electrical, mechanical, or otherwise, including, but not limited to, photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. Cover Photo: © Charly Franklin/FPG International Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The information highway / Charles P. Cozic, book editor. p. cm. — (Current controversies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-56510-374-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 1-56510-375-0 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper) 1. Information superhighway—United States. 2. Telecommunication policy—United States. 3. Telecommunication—United States. I. Cozic, Charles P., 1957– . II. Series. HE7572.U6I537 1996 384.3—dc20 95-35486 CIPP © 1996 by Greenhaven Press, Inc., PO Box 289009, San Diego, CA 92198-9009 Printed in the U.S.A. Every effort has been made to trace the owners of copyrighted material. Contents Foreword 10 Introduction 12 Chapter 1: What Is the Information Highway? The Information Highway: An Overview by Philip Elmer-DeWitt 16 Cyberspace is the computer-generated landscape where computer communications are conveyed via wires, cables, and microwaves— the foundations of the information highway. The highway’s most fascinating feature, the Internet, is growing in popularity but does not appeal to everyone. The Myths of the Information Highway by Laurent Belsie 23 Many uncertainties surround the information highway; no one is sure how it will develop. However, several myths regarding the technology, applications, and future of the information highway can be dispelled. A Critical Look at the Internet by Chris O’Malley 26 Although the Internet and the World Wide Web contain a trove of information, their complicated setup and unorganized contents can make navigation difficult. Not yet an efficient resource, the Internet is more unusual than essential. A Revolution in Multimedia Communications by John S. Mayo 34 Technological advances in silicon chips, data transmission, and software are generating a boom in communications and multimedia (media that incorporate such elements as graphics, text, audio, and video). The effects of the multimedia revolution will be felt all over the world. A Revolution in Television by Shelly Schwab 40 Dramatic changes are taking place in television broadcasting and viewing. A new television frontier is emerging: hundreds of different channels, on-demand broadcasts, interactive television, and improved quality of screen images. Chapter 2: How Should the Information Highway Be Developed? Development of the Information Highway: An Overview 49 by Amy Bruckman et al., interviewed by Herb Brody Seven experts discuss their visions of the future development of the information highway, examining such issues as access to and possible applications of the information highway and the roles of business, government, and individuals. The Federal Government Should Expedite the Information Highway 58 by Rick Boucher The private sector, not the federal government, should own, deploy, and control the information infrastructure. The role of the federal government should be to provide funds for research and development, pass legislation, and offer incentives to facilitate development of the information highway. The Information Highway Should Serve Public Interests over 63 Commerce by Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops New technologies that promote social and intercultural communication are important to society. To foster such communication, access to the information highway should be available to all those who want it. Advertisers on the network should view users as people first and consumers second. The Private Sector Alone Should Build the Information Highway 71 by William F. Jasper The federal government seeks to socialize the information highway by controlling it and having bureaucrats determine which information technologies to develop. Government is impeding construction of the information highway; it should let consumers, innovators, and producers build the system. The Information Highway Should Develop According to Consumer 77 Demand by Walter G. Bolter The federal government and private industry believe that the act of building the information highway will create demand for it. The pace of construction of the information highway should be driven by consumer demand and market conditions rather than political directives. Chapter 3: Will the Information Highway Benefit Society? The Impact of the Information Highway: An Overview 87 by Andrew Kupfer Information technology and electronic communications promise to redefine the industrial model of society. A prime concern is whether such change will improve or harm society. Yes: The Information Highway Can Benefit Society A Global Information Infrastructure Can Benefit the World 95 by Al Gore A Global Information Infrastructure (GII) utilizing hundreds of computer networks and many communications technologies can spur democracy, economic growth, and education worldwide. Internet Bulletin Boards Create a Sense of Community 99 by Evan Schwartz A popular feature of the Internet is the variety of electronic bulletin boards, where computer users can create virtual communities as alternatives to real communities. An important question is whether virtual communities can provide a meaningful substitute for traditional communities. The Information Highway Can Promote Environmental 103 Networking by Mickey Mercier An environmental network providing information and resources is growing rapidly on the information highway. People concerned with the environment can access large Internet-based services or local grassroots bulletin board systems with a computer and a modem. The Information Highway Can Benefit Blacks by Alison Gardy 107 Black professionals nationwide are becoming “digital activists” who lend their expertise and business contacts to bring computer communications and technology to blacks. The Information Highway Benefits Rural Areas by Bill Richards 111 Small towns in states such as Nebraska are discovering that fiber- optic cables that efficiently deliver text, voice, and video from and to computers, telephones, and televisions can be a boon to businesses and residents. Virtual Reality Can Help Disabled Persons by William Kelly and 116 Patrick Kinsella Virtual-Reality technology can help disabled persons in a variety of ways. Input and output devices give the disabled the opportunity to communicate more effectively and to accomplish previously difficult or impossible tasks. No: The Information Highway May Not Benefit Society The Information Highway May Not Benefit Society 118 by Reed Karaim Although many people praise computers, others oppose information technology and the information age. An antitechnology movement disputes the “advances” of computers and warns that society is obsessed with—and far too dependent on—technology. New information technology should be viewed with greater skepticism. The Information Highway Will Not Connect Most of the World’s 127 People by Leonard Marks Most of the world’s population will not have access to the information highway. Inadequate telephone service and the high cost of building telecommunications networks are obstacles that will prevent people in developing nations from communicating electronically. Corporate Control of the Information Highway Threatens the 130 Public Interest by Herbert I. Schiller Vast mergers and acquisitions among communications companies, corporate bidding for radio frequencies, and the commercialization of the Internet are some of the factors that threaten the information highway’s potential to serve the public interest. The Information Highway May Harm the Environment 135 by James H. Snider Increased telecommuting may result in a massive movement of people to rural areas, producing enormous environmental problems. Such a population shift could destroy much of the open land and forests of rural America. The Information Highway May Not Benefit Minorities 141 by Libero Della Piana Racial minorities are likely to be excluded from accessing the information highway. Most people of color do not have computers at home, school, or the workplace, and developers of America’s information infrastructure are bypassing minority communities. Computers Occupy Too Much of Children’s Time by Nathan Cobb 147 Children are spending enormous amounts of time on electronic bulletin boards, cruising the Internet, and playing computer games. Children’s family relationships, social interaction, and noncomputer interests may all suffer from their passion for computers. Chapter 4: Should Computer Content Be Regulated? Regulating Computer Content: An Overview by Charles S. Clark 153 Sexual content on the Internet has become the target of legislators and others seeking to regulate access to such material. Electronic versions of pornography and discussion of