5th estate presentation to crassh, cambridge
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Presentation on the Fifth Estate of the Internet Realm to CRASSH at the University of Cambridge on 24 February 2011TRANSCRIPT
The Fifth Estate of the Internet Realm
William H. Dutton
Oxford Internet Institute (OII) University of Oxford
www.ox.ac.uk
Presentation for The Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH), organized by the Cambridge Digital Humanities Network, 17 Mill Lane, Cambridge University, 24 February 2011.
(John Moore, Getty Images)
Technical Novelty – passing fad, not relevant (not ubiquitous), or not ‘real’
Deterministic Technology of Freedom or Control
Reinforcement Politics – Internet Freedom an Illusion?
A Strategic Resource for Reconfiguring Access [enabling a Fifth Estate]
The Political Significance of the Internet and Social Media?
How is the Internet being used to ‘reconfigure access’? Are there discernable patterns?
Does the Internet enable key actors to reconfigure access in ways that enhance their ‘communicative power’?
Key Questions Concerning the Politics of the Digital Age
“[Edmund] Burke said there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more prominent far than they all. It is not a figure of speech, or witty saying; it is a literal fact – very momentous to us in these times.”
Thomas Carlyle (1831), Heroes and Hero-Worship, at www.gutenberg.org.etext/1091
The Fourth Estate
Feudal Estates into the 21st Century
Estates Feudal Modern
Clergy Public Intellectuals
Nobility Business, Industry and Economic Elites
Commons Government
‘4th Estate’ Press Journalists and the Mass Media
Mob Mob
Press since the 18th Century - the ‘Fourth Estate’
Internet in the 21st - enabling a Fifth Estate
−−
Enabling people to network with other individuals and with information, services and technical resources in ways that support social accountability in business and industry, government, politics, and the media.
The Fourth and Fifth Estates
• Studies of the political implications of information and communication technologies, like the Internet
• Distributed Problem-Solving Networks, supported by McKinsey
• Oxford eSocial Science Project (OeSS), supported by the ESRC
• Oxford Internet Surveys (OxIS), part of the World Internet Project
• Global Internet Values Survey with INSEAD, ComScore, WEF
Based on a Range of OII Research
• 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009• Cross-sectional Surveys versus Panels• Multi-Stage Probability Sample • England, Scotland & Wales • Respondents: 14 years and older• Face-to-face Interviews, High Response Rates• Sponsorship for 2009 from the British Library,
Higher Education Funding Council for England, Ofcom, and Scottish and Southern Energy
• Component of World Internet Project (WIP)
Oxford Internet Surveys
2003 2005 2007 2009
Fielded in June-July February-
MarchMarch-
AprilFebruary-
March
Number of respondents 2,030 2,185 2,350 2,013
Response rate 66% 72% 77% 67%
OxIS Samples
Looking for Information on Different Media (QA1)
OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007: N=2,350; OxIS 2009: N=2,013. 12
2005 2007 20090%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
29%39%
48%
38%33%
30%
22% 18%15%
11% 10% 7%
TaxesUse the Internet Use the telephonePersonal Visit Directory or book
2005 2007 20090%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
46%55%
62%
13%8%
8%
35% 30%25%
7% 8% 5%
Planning a tripUse the Internet Use the telephonePersonal Visit Directory or book
Pattern of Findings Supporting Conception of Networked Individuals
Average Importance of Media for Information by Internet Users and Non-Users (QA2 by QH14)
OxIS 2009: N=2,013 14
Centrality of the Internet and Trust over Time
OxIS 2003: N=2,029; OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007 N=2,350. OxIS 2009: N=2,013
Networked Institutions, such as in e-Health
Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate:
going to the Internet for health and medical information
networking physicians via Sermo
Networked Institutions v Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate
Sermo
Networked Institutions v Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate
Arenas: Networked Institutions
Networked Individuals
News Online journalism, BBC Online, Live Micro-Blogging
Citizen Journalists, Bloggers, Netizens Posting Videos
Democracy E-Democracy, E-Consultation, e-Voting
Obama campaign, Networking the Pro-Democracy Protests
Education Online Learning, Multimedia Classrooms
Backchannels, informal learning
Health and Medical NHS Direct, e-mailing safety alerts
Going to the Internet for health information, Sermo
Networked Institutions: greater ubiquity, universal access
Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate: require only a critical mass of users
Networked Institutions v Networked Individuals of the Fifth Estate
Percentage of Internet Users Across Regions of the World
Regions as Percentage of the Worldwide Population of Users
18th Century Estates: 21st Century Enemies
18th Century Estates
21st Century: Enemies of the 5th Estate
Attacks
Clergy Public Intellectuals ‘Culture of Amateurism’, individualist consumerism
Nobility Business, Industry and Economic Elites
Vertical Integration; Monopoly over Search; Three Strikes
Commons Government and Regulatory Agencies
Filtering; Content Regulation; Identification; Surveillance; Disconnection
Press Journalists and the Mass Media
Echo Chambers; but Co-opting, Imitating, Competing
Mob Spammers, Fraudsters, Cyberstalkers, …
Undermining Trust and Confidence; Fostering Regulation of Content
Centrality of the Internet, Trust in Government and Attitudes toward Internet Regulation over Time
OxIS 2003: N=2,029; OxIS 2005: N=2,185; OxIS 2007 N=2,350. OxIS 2009: N=2,013
The Fifth Estate: A Sensitizing Concept
The Fifth Estate of the Internet Realm
William H. Dutton
Oxford Internet Institute (OII) University of Oxford
www.ox.ac.uk
Presentation for The Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH), organized by the Cambridge Digital Humanities Network, 17 Mill Lane, Cambridge University, 24 February 2011.
(John Moore, Getty Images)