The Internet as Public Space: Concepts, Issues, and Implications in Public Policy Jean Camp & YT Chien John E KennedySchoolof Government Harvard Universi~, Cambridge,MA 02138 O'ean_camp,ytchien}@ksg.harvard.edu he Internet has long been identified as an informaWe address the fundamental policy issues that result from ion agora (Branscomb, 1994). The role of Internet treating the Internet as public space. We delineate the types s a public space for every citizen (as opposed to of public spaces that may be found on the Internet: libraries, purely for professionals, for example) is being shaped by two clinics or hospitals, universities, marketplaces, international seemingly contradictory characteristics: Internet is both ubiq- marketplaces or cultural exchange centers, schools, and as a uitous and personal. Cyberspace, unlike the traditional me- forum for political speeches or debate ("the digital stump"). dia types (broadcast, common carrier, publishing, distribu- For each public place a subset of the previously discussed tion) and traditional public spaces in the physical world (Bos- policy issues applies in a unique way. ton Common, the Logan Airport, city library, train station, We finally close with the implications with respect to etc.) enables the citizenry to find new ways to interact eco- public policy which are
/lp/association-for-computing-machinery/the-internet-as-public-space-concepts-issues-and-implications-in-dYBHwoq3AI