Polity The Internet We Could Have Had

Explore the divergence between the internet's early promise and its current reality in The Internet We Could Have Had by Christopher M. Kelty. This book delves into the history of 'end-to-end' networks, net neutrality, and open-source software, contrasting these ideals with today's landscape of surveillance capitalism and fragmented social media.

Key Themes:

• Revisiting the potential of early internet concepts like a 'global brain' and liberation of free speech.
• Analyzing the transition to surveillance capitalism, data colonialism, and extractive AI industries.
• Examining how aspirations for openness and democracy paved the way for dominant platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and Google.
• A critical assessment of how the internet evolved into a fragmented space dominated by misinformation and advertising.

About the Author:

Christopher M. Kelty offers a political inquest and theoretical autopsy, documenting the forces that shaped the internet we experience today. This work serves as an attempt to understand how past generative possibilities led to an unintended future.

Specifications:

• Brand: Polity
• Author: Christopher M. Kelty
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Language: English
• Page Count: 240 pages
• Publication Date: September 4, 2026
• Dimensions: 14.8 x 2.2 x 22.2 cm
• Weight: 425 g
• ISBN-10: 1509574506
• ISBN-13: 978-1509574506
• EAN: 9781509574506
• Release Date: 4 Sep 2026

The Internet We Could Have Had is an essential read for anyone interested in the history, politics, and future of digital technology and its societal impact.