Slouching Toward a Dystopian Internet

Despite the long-term success of the commercial Internet, or perhaps because of its success, there is a vigorous and ongoing discussion about avoiding a dystopian future. First, this topic makes paranoia look rather rational: Malware and viruses could run mad; excessive spam might clog traffic lanes; lack of IP addresses could bring growth to a sudden halt; identity theft and hacked credit card numbers might turn electronic commerce into no-man´s-land; and government censorship could deter new media from blossoming. Second, none of the common disaster scenarios have economic roots. This issue´s column will try to fill that gap. This paper clears a few unfounded but commonly held fears.