The Internet was once lauded as the ultimate tool to foster tolerance, destroy nationalism, and transform the world in a digitally-connected global village. Morozov challenges the idea that the Internet is an agent of social and political transformation, and discusses the political impact of social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. Interrogating the notion that bloggers are the new dissidents, Morozov argues that we must critically examine the belief that access to banned or vital information will politicise society and mobilise a revolutionary force.

Evgeny Morozov has been profiled in various national newspapers and has provoked debate, both online and in print. This talk is part of a series exploring the impact of the Internet on society, and was transmitted live to audiences in Manchester and Sheffield.

Born in Belarus, Evgeny Morozov is the writer and researcher who penned ‘The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom’. He is a visiting scholar at Stanford University, and he runs the ‘Net Effect’ blog for Foreign Policy magazine, which addresses the Internet’s impact on global politics. His writings have appeared various newspapers and magazines around the world, including The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Times Literary Supplement, The Sunday Times, and many other publications. 

Morozov was formerly a Yahoo! fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, and he remains on the board of the information program at George Soros’ Open Society Institute. He has appeared on various television broadcasts, including CNN, CBS, SkyNews, CBC, Al Jazeera International, BBC Radio 4, and BBC world Service.

Related Links:
Evgeny Morozov: To Save Everything, Click Here
Evgeny Morozov
Festival of Ideas

A Festival of Ideas event in partnership with Watershed.

Posted on Tue 18 Jan 2011.

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