Web History and Online Activism
This collection of Internet Histories articles delves into digital activism and online engagement, spanning diverse periods and countries. From the nascent stages of the Internet and Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) to the recent mobilizations of the alt-right, this compilation offers an historical exploration of the multifaceted realm of digital activism. These papers explore various movements in several countries such as France, Japan, Italy, or Korea. Movements of cyberactivism, and expectations for free speech and freedom, along with utopians and key digital figures like Aaron Swartz, coexist with nebulous alt-right groups and extremist movements in this collection. By juxtaposing these extremes, the collection highlights the spectrum of digital activism - from its empowering potential to its capacity for polarization and harm. All these articles attest to the vitality of studies on online political expressions, may it be movements inherent to the digital realm, like struggles for digital rights, cyber libertarianism and Internet freedom, or expressions and communities that extend debates on the web and within specific spaces, forums, and platforms.