Misunderstanding the Internet

In contrast to much literature that celebrates the development of Internet technology and digital media as a radical revolution in economy, politics, and society, Misunderstanding the Internet presents a general overview of the critical perspective rooted in the research tradition of political economy of communication. Three scholars from Goldsmiths, University of London—James Curran, Natalie Fenton, and Des Freedman—go beyond the techno-optimistic approach to emphasize the economic and societal context in which the Internet operates. In their well-argued text, based on in-depth research, they suggest, skeptically, that digital media have caused only marginal changes in the communication environment, which is continuously led (mainly) by large corporations and their profit-oriented interests. Of course, many would argue against this Marxist approach, which is usually presented as “the undoubted truth” and therefore—replacing one myth by another one—falls into the same trap as the “new digital age” prophets do. Nonetheless, the book’s title offers a thought-provoking (and in this way very useful) guide to an alternative understanding of the contemporary role of the media within society, a topic that certainly should be taken into account.