互联网的特性

1、The Internet and its regulation 大綱大綱互聯網的特性互聯網的特性 Characteristics of the Internet是否規管的考慮因素是否規管的考慮因素 Regulatory considerations初期：管還是不管？初期：管還是不管？Regulate or not to regulate?推廣互聯網推廣互聯網Policies to promote access?內容規管內容規管Attempts to regulate content近期爭議近期爭議In response to Web 2.0嚴管內容？嚴管內容？保證平台開放？保證平台開放？The

2、 Internet As a business toolAs a communication tool/As a mass medium Focus and theme of this courseThe Internet as a communication tool如何令大眾如何令大眾能使用能使用互聯網互聯網Access to the Internet 兩大議題兩大議題2 main issues應否和如何應否和如何規管內容規管內容Content regulationof the Internet How the US and some other countries treat and t

3、ackle these 2 issues Topic 1The Internet development and special featuresWhat is the Internet?na vast global interconnection of computer networks around the worldnall of which use a common set of technical protocols (Internet Protocols/IP) in routing data across those networks How does the Internet

4、operate?nThe Internet is the combined result of several technological development: udigitalisationupacket-switching uInternet address protocolsHow does the Internet operate? (continued)nPacket-switching vs. circuit-switchingnPacket-switching uenables digital data. transmitted as discrete packets ove

5、r any available route in the network.reassembled at .IP addressucheap, efficient and fast method of transmissionHow does the Internet operate? (continued)ncircuit-switchinguany call between two points on the network requires a complete, dedicated connectionOrigin of the Internetn1969: The US Departm

6、ent of Defenses Advanced Research Project Agency created ARPAnet, first national packet-switched computer network nThe original purpose of the Internet wasuto provide a wholly secure means .secret information circulated. internal electronic postal systemuenable computers operated. by redundant chann

7、els even if some portions of the network damaged in a warOrigin of the Internet (continued)n1983: the Internet was born officially when ARPAnet divided into military and civilian components, with the civilian component giving rise to the Internet （開始在（開始在大學供非軍事用）大學供非軍事用）nthe National Science Foundat

8、ion (NSF) established the NSFnet - an academic research network serving the US universitiesn1994: NSF began converting its network to private hands （容許私人使用）（容許私人使用）Who runs the Internet?nThe Internet is not owned or managed by any one person, or government, or companynSome groups are responsible for

9、 coordinating the Internet and setting specifications to make it workuthe Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) -assignment of address and domain namesuthe Internet Society (ISOC) - promotes the orderly use and development of the InternetuBut these organisations are based in th

10、e US (dominated by the US?)Special features of the Internetn .a fluid, complex entityn a dynamic routed, packet-switched network n has a decentralised nature n international in scope (global in scale)n .a many-to-many mass mediumnallows interactivityn.substitutable for all existing media?n.offers li

11、mitless possibilities?The Internet - what kind of medium?na many-to-many mass medium nusers also generate much of the contentnregulatory issues: umore akin to print or broadcast media? userves as publisher, distributor, broadcaster or common carrier? The Internet - a democratic medium?nGiving people

12、 a greater degree of personal autonomy:u a vast, cheap but valuable source for knowledge and informationuan efficient and powerful communication meansucan become a publisher.around the globe with very limited money and resourcesThe Internet - a democratic medium? (continued)nno one institution or in

13、dividual owns the Internet, and no one specifically controls itu the first truly democratic medium of communication in human history?The Internet - a democratic medium? (continued)nRegulatory issuesngovernment regulation lead to censorship and other undesirable effects?nDevelopment left to big corpo

14、rations. undermine the democratic nature.simply an e-commerce tool?The role of the Internet in promoting democracy and civic participation nShould governments take steps nto establish a public service presence on the Internet, uto underpin democracy online with infrastructural support, anducreate a

15、Civic Commons in Cyberspace.Benefits of online civic engagementnTranscending time nTranscending placenLanguage of the peoplenMaking connectionsnRecruitment of experience and expertise nLearning to deliberate nCommunity building Downsides of online civic engagement nRisk of political control (direct

16、contact without public scrutiny)nVague objectivesnBogus democracy (online voting)nLack of informed input nThe risk of fragmentary marginalisation 互聯網互聯網 導致無政府狀況？導致無政府狀況？The Internet - leading to anarchy?nInternationalism of the Internetnuse and exploration.wholly indifferent to international boundar

17、ies （無視國界）（無視國界）nlargely unregulated and uncontrolled by the Statena potential to diminish the authority of government and even becomes a power tool for political subversion? （會影響政府管治？）（會影響政府管治？）The Internet - leading to anarchy? (continued)nPopulism of the Internet 各種偏向平民的情況各種偏向平民的情況nAccess unconst

18、rained .nNo credentials requirednNo real system of censorshipnReproducibility nperfect fomenting ground for criminal conspiracies? 成為罪惡溫床？成為罪惡溫床？The Internet - leading to anarchy? (continued)nUsers under little or no social pressures to conform 網民可不顧社會規範網民可不顧社會規範usurf the web in the privacy umany no

19、t use real name (anonymity)usubverts social control and induces moral anarchy? nRegulatory issues: pornography, harmful materials and gambling on the net, should they be regulated and how?The Internet nA summary of its characteristicsnDecentralizationnAnonymityncounter-cultural characternSpeednlow e

20、ntry barriersnlong shelf lifenwide reach Topic 2The Internet - regulatory considerationsMedia regulation 4 basic criteria formulated by US courtsnMedia: regulate or not, and how, depending on nThe capacity of the medium to carry messagenThe persuasiveness or invasiveness of the mediumnThe accessibil

21、ity of the mediumnThe traditional relationship between the government and the mediumDifferent media subject to different degree of regulation Print (least regulated)Cable Broadcast(strictly regulated)TelephoneRegulatory optionsState regulationSelf-regulation by the industryNo regulation Regulating t