The bigger the network, the harder it is to leave. Many users find it too daunting to start afresh on a new site, so they quietly consent to Facebook's privacy bullying. Evgeny Morozov afreshbigbully Change image and share on social
When someone at the State Department proclaims Facebook to be the most organic tool for promoting democracy the world has ever seen - that's a direct quote - it may help in the short run by getting more people onto Facebook by making it more popular with dissidents. Evgeny Morozov democracydepartmentdirect share on social
Faster roads are not always safer roads - and virtually all societies, democratic or authoritarian, prefer safety over speed, even if many of their citizens enjoy fast driving. Evgeny Morozov authoritariancitizendemocratic Change image and share on social
Contrary to the utopian rhetoric of social media enthusiasts, the Internet often makes the jump from deliberation to participation even more difficult, thwarting collective action under the heavy pressure of never-ending internal debate. Evgeny Morozov actioncollectivecontrary share on social
North Korea aside, most authoritarian governments have already accepted the growth of the Internet culture as inevitable; they have little choice but to find ways to shape it in accord with their own narratives - or risk having their narratives shaped by others. Evgeny Morozov acceptaccordauthoritarian share on social
Social media's greatest assets - anonymity, 'virality,' interconnectedness - are also its main weaknesses. Evgeny Morozov anonymityassetgreat Change image and share on social
The director of the FBI has been visiting Silicon Valley companies asking them to build back doors so that it can spy on what is being said online. The Department of Commerce is going after piracy. At home, the American government wants anything but Internet freedom. Evgeny Morozov americanbackbuild share on social
Most other documents leaked to WikiLeaks do not carry the same explosive potential as candid cables written by American diplomats. Evgeny Morozov americancablecandid Change image and share on social
Why does crime happen? Well, you might say that it's because youths don't have jobs. Or you might say that's because the doors of our buildings are not fortified enough. Given some limited funds to spend, you can either create yet another national employment program or you can equip houses with even better cameras, sensors, and locks. Evgeny Morozov buildingcameracreate share on social
Steve Jobs was notoriously blunt about products he found wanting, but his attack on Flash - Adobe's popular technology for playing multimedia content inside a browser - was particularly vicious. Claiming it was buggy and insecure, Jobs banned it from the iPad. Evgeny Morozov adobeattackban share on social