A History of the Internet and the Digital Future tells the story of the development of
the Internet from the 1950s to the present, and examines how the balance of power has
shifted between the individual and the state in the areas of censorship, copyright
infringement, intellectual freedom and terrorism and warfare. Johnny Ryan explains how
the Internet has revolutionized political campaigns; how the development of the World
Wide Web enfranchised a new online population of assertive, niche consumers; and how
the dot-com bust taught smarter firms to capitalize on the power of digital artisans.


In the coming years, platforms such as the iPhone and Android rise or fall depending
on their treading the line between proprietary control and open innovation. The trends
of the past may hold out hope for the record and newspaper industry. From the government-
controlled systems of the Cold War to today.s move towards cloud computing, user-driven
content and the new global commons, this book reveals the trends that are shaping the
businesses, politics, and media of the digital future.

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