{"product_id":"republiccom-9780691095899","title":"Republic.com","description":"\u003cp\u003eSee only what you want to see  hear only what you want to hear  read only what you want to read. In cyberspace  we already have the ability to filter out everything but what we wish to see  hear  and read. Tomorrow  our power to filter promises to increase exponentially. With the advent of the Daily Me  you see only the sports highlights that concern your teams  read about only the issues that interest you  encounter in the op-ed pages only the opinions with which you agree. In all of the applause for this remarkable ascendance of personalized information  Cass Sunstein asks the questions  Is it good for democracy? Is it healthy for the republic? What does this mean for freedom of speech?  Republic.com exposes the drawbacks of egocentric Internet use  while showing us how to approach the Internet as responsible citizens  not just concerned consumers. Democracy  Sunstein maintains  depends on shared experiences and requires citizens to be exposed to topics and ideas that they would not have chosen in advance. Newspapers and broadcasters helped create a shared culture  but as their role diminishes and the customization of our communications universe increases  society is in danger of fragmenting  shared communities in danger of dissolving. In their place will arise only louder and ever more extreme echoes of our own voices  our own opinions.  In evaluating the consequences of new communications technologies for democracy and free speech  Sunstein argues the question is not whether to regulate the Net (its already regulated)  but how; proves that freedom of speech is not an absolute; and underscores the enormous potential of the Internet to promote freedom as well as its potential to promote \"cybercascades\" of like-minded opinions that foster and enflame hate groups. The book ends by suggesting a range of potential reforms to correct current misconceptions and to improve deliberative democracy and the health of the American republic.  Chat with Cass Sunstein in a Message Forum hosted beginning April 1  2001.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67920437051445,"sku":"ByrdShop_0691095892","price":65.15,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780691095899.jpg?v=1794051793","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/republiccom-9780691095899","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}