Hammer Forum

Communication Power: Net Neutrality and the Public Commons

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As the internet increasingly becomes the dominant forum for political, social and commercial interaction, power lies in the hands of those who control communication. What is at stake if media monopolies become the gatekeepers of the public commons? Sociologist Manuel Castells and attorney Gigi Sohn will join us to address this question and more. Castells is the Wallis Annenberg Chair Professor of Communication Technology and Society at USC and has published 23 books including The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. His latest book is Communication Power. Sohn is an internationally known communications attorney, and is the president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, a Washington, D.C. interest group working to defend citizens' rights in the emerging digital culture.

Public programs are made possible, in part, by a major gift from Ann and Jerry Moss.

Additional support is provided by Bronya and Andrew Galef, Good Works Foundation and Laura Donnelley, an anonymous donor, the Hammer Programs Committee, and Susan and Leonard Nimoy.