“Google-Zon,” Rise of the Machines, and the Future of Media

by on January 13, 2005 · 12 comments

Google + Amazon = World Media Domination and then Rise of the Machines Techno-Totalitarianism … or so claims this video. But you have to admit that this is very well done. Look at the little details too… like when they flash the Google identify card up on the screen and the guy’s name on the card is Winston Smith… a la Orwell’s “1984.”

http://www.broom.org/epic/

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About Adam Thierer

Adam Thierer is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He previously served as President of The Progress & Freedom Foundation, as Director of Telecommunications Studies at the Cato Institute, and as a Fellow in Economic Policy at the Heritage Foundation. He is the author or editor of six books on technology and media policy and also writes a weekly column for Forbes called "Technologies of Freedom." Thierer earned his bachelor's degree in political science and journalism at Indiana University and received his master's degree in international business management and trade theory at the University of Maryland. His passions in life (besides technology and liberty, of course) are fast cars, fine cigars, and good beer.

Read more articles by Adam Thierer.

  • Jim Harper

    Half way through, I couldn’t understand why the editing and the narrator’s tone was so foreboding while they showed how cool everything was gonna be. Then they got into that “media and democracy” crap and I understood. We’re supposed to dread this outcome. Uh, OK. Sure. The family farm, the New York Times. I’m so bummed to see them go. (Yawn.)

  • Jim Harper

    Half way through, I couldn’t understand why the editing and the narrator’s tone was so foreboding while they showed how cool everything was gonna be. Then they got into that “media and democracy” crap and I understood. We’re supposed to dread this outcome. Uh, OK. Sure. The family farm, the New York Times. I’m so bummed to see them go. (Yawn.)

  • Brian Moore

    Yeah, is this supposed to be “bad”? This sounds great! The creators of this seem to believe that “more information” is worse that “less information.”

    Also, I think the creators would be surprised to learn how far modern marketing is beyond some of the “future” events that they describe.

  • Brian Moore

    Yeah, is this supposed to be “bad”? This sounds great! The creators of this seem to believe that “more information” is worse that “less information.”

    Also, I think the creators would be surprised to learn how far modern marketing is beyond some of the “future” events that they describe.

  • Michael

    I think you may not be seeing the forest for the trees here. The connection between a constant flow of information and whether or not that does or does not offer more “freedom” to the individual totally underscore the deeper questions. What happens when the access to information fall under the control of a single corporate entity? What would the world be like if all information channels were monopolized? Would more information about whom,what,where and how you live your life be somehow more advantageous to your life, especially if one particular person/group had unlimited access to it?

    Technology offers human beings a vast arrays of improvements as we constantly develop civilization… but what happens to those improvements when they are inherently dictated by corporate entities? To whom does it benefit that this kind of technological change happen?

    The names of the suspected winners of this hypothetical situation may be incorrect, but the logical progression of technology and capitalism would follow a similar course in the real world.

    For all of technologies benefits, the question to be asked in this video is this: Does technology truly benefit human existence if the means to its ends are controlled by individuals who look to profit from controlling its end or outcome?

  • Michael

    I think you may not be seeing the forest for the trees here. The connection between a constant flow of information and whether or not that does or does not offer more “freedom” to the individual totally underscore the deeper questions. What happens when the access to information fall under the control of a single corporate entity? What would the world be like if all information channels were monopolized? Would more information about whom,what,where and how you live your life be somehow more advantageous to your life, especially if one particular person/group had unlimited access to it?

    Technology offers human beings a vast arrays of improvements as we constantly develop civilization… but what happens to those improvements when they are inherently dictated by corporate entities? To whom does it benefit that this kind of technological change happen?

    The names of the suspected winners of this hypothetical situation may be incorrect, but the logical progression of technology and capitalism would follow a similar course in the real world.

    For all of technologies benefits, the question to be asked in this video is this: Does technology truly benefit human existence if the means to its ends are controlled by individuals who look to profit from controlling its end or outcome?

  • http://www.josephlied.com/ idiot

    i am an idiot and i am lead by richard simmons

  • http://www.josephlied.com/ idiot

    i am an idiot and i am lead by richard simmons

  • zoran

    gooooot

  • zoran

    gooooot

  • jay

    i see… but is yahoo already done this move? ma i correct?

  • jay

    i see… but is yahoo already done this move? ma i correct?

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