The Disruptive Power of the Generative Internet - Jonathan Zittrain

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/05/15/Jonathan_Zittrain_The_Future_of_the_Internet

Harvard law professor Jonathan Zittrain uses the examples of Wikipedia and Twitter to demonstrate the disruptive potential of the generative Internet. He sheds light on how a website like Wikipedia, which probably seemed like the "dumbest idea in the history of the world," went on to defy its humble origins.

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Jonathan Zittrain talks about the internet within the context of his book: The Future of the Internet -- And How to Stop It. - Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University

Jonathan L. Zittrain is an American professor of Internet law at Harvard Law School and a faculty co-director of Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

Previously, Zittrain was Professor of Internet Governance and Regulation at the Oxford Internet Institute of the University of Oxford and visiting professor at the New York University School of Law and Stanford Law School. He is the author, most recently, of The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It; and co-editor of the book Access Denied.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• net
• web
• online
• tech
• technology
• culture
• wikis
• collaboration
• system
• users
• social
• media
• sites
• computers
• networks
• networking
• fora.tv
• foratv
• fora
• tv

[yuriythebest]

life would be much better without skype and filesharing???? killing the music industry?? how brainwashed is this guy?

[Waldheri]

Why is this Harvard law professor, like, talking like this, like, you know?

[paradoxfox93]

He wants to 'stop the internet'? The only man made thing that hasn't ceased to function since it's inception?  That's like trying to stop a black hole.

[QCreyton]

from what i gather he's saying reguardless of how stupid or anoying or unintentional these things are. they created something wonderful

[tux937534]

ahahah man, you need help if you were serious!

[dreamdewil]

Ah, thanks! :D

I didn't come across very clear from this clip alone.

[suzhouhe]

Yes. He's explaining how all of these ideas were originally perceived as Bad Things by established commentators, but took off in amazing and unexpected ways once they hit the "generative" collaborative power of the internet.

[dreamdewil]

Is this guy being ironic/sarcastic in his criticism?

[LokiClock]

Is "generative internet" the new buzzword, then?

[kevintype]

He's being SARCASTIC. He doesn't actually think life would be much better without Skype and file sharing. He is mocking the music industry and other industries who think that way.

[blackiron60]

Combine these tools with actual political movements and direct democracy becomes feasible even in massive groups. Those 18th century thinkers who dismissed direct democracy because it would supposedly never work outside of a very limited territorial space have been blown out of the water.

[GeeKayKayGee]

What I am is someone who cares about the free exchange of ideas and rational discussion.

Now I would ask, what are you? Are you a simple reactionary unwilling or perhaps unable to argue the merits of your case? If you have an argument that contradicts the essence of Zittrains case then present it. He argues the file sharing is a good thing.

So why do you hate P2P? Why do you hate Pirate Bay? Why lumpfish do you hate Bit torrent and love RIAA?