Monmentalisation and Metaphoric of Fear
Official Discourse about the Internet in Russia
Henrike Schmidt, Katy Teubener
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Information technology is control technology. Access to the means of production in the opinion-making media industries is highly important for political, social, and private communication. The revolutionary significance of the Internet lies in its potential to decentralise the distribution of information. This feature of a world wide data network presents a challenge to those who seek greater state control. This goes for the Internet in Russia, whose growing popularity threatens the state’s power over the media and public opinion. Discussions of whether it is necessary and possible to control the Internet are growing more frequent.In debates over freedom and censorship in Russia’s part of the World Wide Web, the state’s sovereignty of interpreting this medium for Russian culture is proving to be as effective as measures for regulating Internet technology.
(Osteuropa 11/2005, pp. 79–94)