Masthead CMC Magazine / February 1, 1996
 The Electronic Colonization of the Pacific, by Spennemann, Birckhead, Green, and Atkinson

Anarchy on the Web

There can be little doubt that there is a strong sense of anarchy on the World Wide Web. At present, the infobahn is a free-for-all: everybody can publish web pages without spatial or social distinctions, as long access to a server is available. Such servers are maintained by commercial companies, by online providers and by educational institutions. In many cases, copyright is flaunted or blatantly violated both in content and in terms of computer code. The anarchy is fostered by independent-minded academics controlling much of the content, and it is further fueled by "technophiles" or "techno-junkies." Any development of teaching packages on the World Wide Web is endangered by creeping technological determinism, whereby educational paradigms and communication ethics are overlooked or blatantly ignored in the name of technological progress (December 1995). As the Web grew in popularity, institutions quickly realized its potential for publicity. Finally, the entry of commercial interests into online services has served to entrench competition between sites as the norm. --


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