Culture, Law, and Politics of the Digital Realm Lecture 1

Historical Context of the Internet

• The Internet emerged in the mid-1990s, marked by the Clinton administration's shift of responsibility from the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation to the Department of Commerce.
• This period saw the dramatic rise of information technologies, commerce, communication, and content sharing globally.

Post-World War II Era

• The United States emerged predominant in all areas of civilization, culture, and power relationships after World War II.
• The war led to the US's least hurt and most benefited, despite hundreds of thousands of American deaths and 50 million global deaths.
• The US contributed significantly to the rebuilding of Japan and Germany, making them prosperous and peaceful.

Atomic Bomb and Conventional Warfare

• The atomic bomb was developed and used in Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) during World War II.
• Conventional warfare caused significant destruction in Europe, as seen in the city of Dresden.

Shift in Alliances

• The nuclear addition to military power led to a quick shift in allies between the US, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union (Russia) after World War II.

Cultural Concepts of the 1960s

• The late 1950s to 1960s saw the advocacy of hallucinogenic drugs, including LSD, by leaders like Harvard professors and researchers.
• The Central Intelligence Agency also explored the use of these drugs.
• Cannabis was another drug being explored, which is now being legalized in many states and reclassified at the federal level.

Higher Education and Social Reform

• The Higher Education Act of 1965 opened up higher education to more people, especially the middle class.
• This was part of President Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" package, inherited from President Kennedy's 1963 vision.
• The Act aimed to expand opportunities and possibilities to the most needed areas of society.

Healthcare Reform

• Medicare and Medicaid were introduced to provide medical help to the elderly and the poorest segments of society.

Civil Rights Movement

• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to clear away obstacles that prevented African-Americans from voting, particularly in southern states.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1963 made segregation and segregation practices illegal, ending practices like separate water fountains, segregated buses, and discriminatory service signs.

Post-Cold War Era

• Following the end of the Cold War, there was a sense of triumphalism in the Western world, with the idea that democratic republics could be created globally and that everyone would benefit from global capitalism.

9/11 and the Rise of Terrorism

• On September 11, 2001, a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. marked a turning point in global politics.
• The events of 9/11 were carried out by the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden.
• This attack was seen as a dramatic shift from traditional nation-state conflicts to a new era of non-state terrorist threats.

International Response to 9/11

• The United States invaded Afghanistan, where Al-Qaeda was believed to be based, in an effort to find Osama bin Laden and eliminate the terrorist threat.
• The invasion of Iraq in 2003, based on false information about weapons of mass destruction, further polarized politics in the United States.

Domestic and International Consequences

• The events of 9/11 led to a more sobering and security-focused administration under President George W. Bush.
• The war on terror and the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq created a climate of distrust and concern about government in the United States.
• This era marked a significant shift in global politics and international relations, with a focus on counter-terrorism and security.