Mozilla released their third annual report on the state of the internet and its impact on global society [1]. They asked the following five questions about the internet and identified both positive and negative trends since their report in 2018:
- Is it safe?
- How open is it?
- Who is welcome?
- Who can succeed?
- Who controls it?
When compared to Mozilla’s 2018 Internet Health Report [2], which highlighted key issues such as IOT, ‘fake news’, and Big Tech, it seems like people have began to pay more attention to their digital identities since these issues came into the forefront of attention, accelerated by cases such as the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal surrounding the 2016 Presidential election in America [3], and data breaches for companies like Equifax, Marriott, and many other organizations that occurred in 2017 and 2018 [4].
In each of these questions, Mozilla informs and challenges the reader about a specific topic, such as ransomware [5] and app tracking [6] through case studies and animated infographics. The report features three spotlight articles that explore AI [7], online advertising [8], and smart cities [9].
When you look at trends like these — and many others across the Report — the upshot is: the internet has the potential both to uplift and connect us. But it also has the potential to harm and tear us apart. – Mark Surman
Mozilla’s briefing about the 2019 Internet Health Report [10] written by Mark Surman, summarizes the report with three positive and three negative conclusions, commenting that initiatives for privacy protection and digital responsibility are growing, and that developments in AI and biometrics should be monitored with care.
The full report is also available as a .pdf file as well [11].
What Do You Think?
- What are your thoughts on the current state of the internet?
- What are some of the recent developments in technology that have benefited you the most? Which are the ones that have caused you worry?
- Which article did you find most interesting in Mozilla’s 2019 Internet Health Report?
Let us know what you think about this article and your responses to our questions in the comments below!
Image Credit
Health and Safety Report by TheDigitalArtist, from Pixabay. Used under CC BY 4.0
Additional Sources of Information:
- Mozilla highlights AI bias and ‘addiction by design’ tech in internet health report [VentureBeat]
- The State of the Internet [Akamai]
- Internet Society Global Internet Report [InternetSociety]
- Digital Trends 2019 [TheNextWeb]
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not constitute legal or financial advice.
Always do your own research to make informed decisions.
Edited by: Elyse Hill
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