Information Politics: Liberation and Exploitation in the Digital Society (Digital Barricades)

Conflict over information has become a central part of twenty-first century politics and culture. Currents of liberation and exploitation course through the debates about Edward Snowden and surveillance, Anonymous, the Arab Spring, search engines, and social media. In Information Politics, Tim Jordan confronts contemporary panic about whether we are being controlled by digital systems, such as social networks, iPhones, and Google. He approaches these issues in relation to the information politics that have emerged with the rise of mass digital cultures and the internet. Within our modern world, he argues for possibilities of rebellion and liberation interwoven among social and political conflicts including gender, class, and ecology. The first of Pluto Press’s new Digital Barricades series, focusing on ground-breaking critical explorations of resistance within the digital world, Information Politics explores the exploitations both facilitated by, and contested through, increases in information flows; the embedding of information technologies in daily life; and the intersection of network and control protocols. Anyone hoping to get to grips with the rapidly changing terrain of digital culture and conflict should start here. Conflict over information has become a central part of twenty-first century politics and culture. Currents of liberation and exploitation course through the debates about Snowden and surveillance, Anonymous, the Arab Spring, search engines, and social media. In Information Politics, Tim Jordan confronts contemporary panic about whether we are being controlled by digital systems, such as social networks, iPhones, and Google. He approaches these issues in relation to the information politics that have emerged with the rise of mass digital cultures and the internet. Within our modern world, he argues for possibilities of rebellion and liberation interwoven among social and political conflicts including gender, class, and ecology. The first of Pluto Press's new Digital Barricades series, focusing on ground-breaking critical explorations of resistance within the digital world, Information Politics explores the exploitations both facilitated by, and contested through, increases in information flows; the embedding of information technologies in daily life; and the intersection of network and control protocols. Anyone hoping to get to grips with the rapidly changing terrain of digital culture and conflict should start here.-- Provided by Publisher Conflict Over Information Is A Central Part Of Twenty-first Century Life. Tim Jordan Examines The Nature Of An Information Politics That Has Emergede With The Rise Of Mass Digital Cultures And The Internet. He Located It Within A Field Of Power And Rebellion That Is Populated By Social And Political Struggles. This Book Is The Ideal Place To Start For Anyone Approaching The Rapidly Changing Terrain Of Digital Culture And Conflict. -- From Back Cover. Introduction : Information As A Politics -- Part 1. Theory Of Information Power. Recursion -- Technologies' Embrace -- Network And Protocol Theory : Dis/organising Information Power -- Part 2. Platforms. Clouds -- Securitisation Of The Internet -- Social Media Networks -- Part 3. Battlegrounds. Battlegrounds And The Ipad -- Death And Gaming -- Hacktivism : Operation Tunisia, Modular Tactics And Information Activism -- Conclusion : Information Exploitation And Information Liberation. Tim Jordan. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [218]-229) And Index. Conflict over information has become a central part of modern politics and culture. The sites of struggle are numerous, the actors beyond count. Currents of liberation and exploitation course through the debates about Edward Snowden and surveillance, Anonymous, search engines and social media. In Information Politics, Tim Jordan identifies all these issues in relation to a general understanding of the nature of an information politics that emerged with the rise of mass digital cultures and the internet. He locates it within a field of power and rebellion that is populated by many interwoven social and political conflicts including gender, class and ecology. The exploitations both facilitated by, and contested through increases in information flows; the embedding of information technologies in daily life, and the intersection of network and control protocols are all examined. Anyone hoping to get to grips with the rapidly changing terrain of digital culture and conflict should start here. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Series Preface......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction: Information as a Politics......Page 10 Part I: Theory of Information Power......Page 36 1. Recursion......Page 38 2. Technologies' Embrace......Page 54 3. Network and Protocol Theory: Dis/Organising Information Power......Page 73 Part II: Platforms......Page 90 4. Clouds......Page 92 5. Securitisation of the Internet......Page 107 6. Social Media Networks......Page 129 Part III: Battlegrounds......Page 150 7. Battlegrounds and the iPad......Page 152 8. Death and Gaming......Page 169 9. Hacktivism: Operation Tunisia, Modular Tactics and Information Activism......Page 185 Conclusion: Information Exploitation and Information Liberation......Page 201 Bibliography......Page 227 Index......Page 239