Latest Evgeny Morozov Quotes from Interviews

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• With the internet we are facing more or less a very similar story. It does offer virtually limitless access to entertainment and for many people living in extremely depressing conditions in authoritarian states, it does provide a vehicle for getting by. For many oppositional movements, the internet, while providing the opportunity to distribute information more quickly and cheaper, may have actually made their struggle more difficult in the long run.

  Evgeny Morozov

  Running, Depressing, Struggle

  Source: www.motherjones.com

• It is true that authoritarian governments increasingly see the internet as a threat in part because they see the US government behind the internet. It would not be accurate to say they are reacting to the threat posed by the internet, they are reacting to the threat poised by United States via the internet. They are not reacting against blogs, or Facebook or Twitter per se, they are reacting against organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy funding bloggers and activists.

  Evgeny Morozov

  Democracy, Internet, Threat

  "The Tunisia Twitter Revolution That Wasn’t". Interview With Dave Gilson, www.motherjones.com. January 27, 2011.

• Many of us were a little to early to assume that the most logical uses of the internet in authoritarian states would be to empower people. And to force them towards participation in politics. If you look at most authoritarian states, they are very grim places to live in. The only good thing about it is fast internet. That's the only way you can find some meaning in an otherwise very dark and gloomy life.

  Evgeny Morozov

  Dark, People, Empowering

  "The Tunisia Twitter Revolution That Wasn’t". Interview With Dave Gilson, www.motherjones.com. January 27, 2011.

• I draw a distinction between freedom of the internet and freedom via the internet. In the first case, it's making sure cyberspace is not over regulated and people can say what they want without fear of repercussions. But that's different from this freedom via the internet notion, which is often touted by all sorts of conservatives and neoconservatives who want young people in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world to use Facebook and Twitter and then go oppose their governments.

  Evgeny Morozov

  People, World, Different

  Source: www.motherjones.com