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The Master Switch : The Rise and Fall of Information Empires

The Master Switch : The Rise and Fall of Information Empires - Thryft
The Master Switch : The Rise and Fall of Information Empires - Thryft

Corporate consolidation of communication technologies exposed.

"The Master Switch" is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the history and potential future of the internet. Wu's book brilliantly and accessibly explores the power structures and corporate interests at play in the development of communication technology. Wu pulls no punches in showing how the internet is at risk of becoming just another tool for monopolistic control. Anyone concerned about the future of open communication needs to read this book.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

The Master Switch : The Rise and Fall of Information Empires

Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

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This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

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This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9781848879850

Description

The Internet Age: on the face of it, an era of unprecedented freedom in both communication and culture. Yet in the past, each major new medium, from telephone to satellite television, has crested on a wave of similar idealistic optimism, before succumbing to the inevitable undertow of industrial consolidation. Every once free and open technology has, in time, become centralized and closed; as corporate power has taken control of the 'master switch.' Today a similar struggle looms over the Internet, and as it increasingly supersedes all other media the stakes have never been higher. Part industrial expose, part examination of freedom of expression, "The Master Switch" reveals a crucial drama - full of indelible characters - as it has played out over decades in the shadows of global communication. It is suitable for readers of Nicholas Carr's "The Shallows", Clay Shirky's "Cognitive Surplus" and "Googled" by Ken Auletta.


Author: Timothy Wu
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 336
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Publication Date: 01 Mar 2011
 

Corporate consolidation of communication technologies exposed.

"The Master Switch" is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the history and potential future of the internet. Wu's book brilliantly and accessibly explores the power structures and corporate interests at play in the development of communication technology. Wu pulls no punches in showing how the internet is at risk of becoming just another tool for monopolistic control. Anyone concerned about the future of open communication needs to read this book.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.