Settlers in Cyberspace – an analogy
Let´s pretend that Cyberspace is an actual space, an Island. About 200 years ago or so it was mostly uninhabited, not much more than a myth really, an idea. But then, the first settlers came, took their space and settled down. At first people settled in different parts of the island, space was abundant, and everyone could be free to do whatever they pleased, free to shape the space to their needs and ideas with little restrictions. There was little conflict, which stands to reason because people hardly knew of each other. The Islands was not very immersive or interconnected and what people did in their own space hardly affected anyone else, at least not in a very fundamental way.
But then, as with all recently founded settlements, things got more complex.
As more settlers arrived, the space, with a growing population, became more complex and interconnected and personal interests of the individuals on the Islands grew. Conflict of interest became more common, and there were little to no regulations or rules.
In other words, the Islands was evolving, in the same way that newly found settlements have always evolved. At some point they all have to face the reality that as the settlements grows, conflict of interest is unavoidable. And in the chaos of conflict, a person or a group of people come out on top as the dominant ruling parties. Usually at first, the power of the land is split between multiple private parties, but one or two of them usually becomes bigger than the other, and then their size snowballs into a bigger and more powerful institution until very few hold most of the power of the society.
I would argue that we, as settlers in cyberspace, are at that point now. Relatively few companies hold a lot of power in the field of technology and most of us have little to no influence over how this growing field is evolving, even though it influences the very foundations of our political, economic and social life.
If we are interested in changing that then we need regulations. Even though we would perhaps like to go back to simpler, more beautifully chaotic times, and even though statements like “The Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace” by Barlow are romantic and beautiful, time doesn´t move backwards. We need to find sustainable solutions in a more complex environment. This will be the topic of my next blog.
