Ethan Zuckerman
Ethan Zuckerman is an associate professor of public policy, information, and communication at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and director of the Initiative on Digital Public Infrastructure. His research focuses on the use of media as a tool for social change, the use of new media technologies by activists, and alternative business and governance models for the internet. He is the author of Mistrust: How Losing Trust in Institutions Provides Tools to Transform Them (W.W. Norton & Company, 2021) and Rewire: Digital Cosmopolitans in the Age of Connection (W.W. Norton & Company, 2013). With Rebecca MacKinnon, Zuckerman co-founded the international blogging community Global Voices. Previously, Zuckerman directed the Center for Civic Media at the MIT Media Lab. In 2000, Zuckerman founded Geekcorps, a technology volunteer organization that sends IT specialists to work on projects in developing nations, with a focus on West Africa. Zuckerman was the visiting research scholar at the Knight First Amendment Institute for the 2020-2021 academic year. He and his family live in Berkshire County in western Massachusetts.
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Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
An Illustrated Field Guide to Social Media
A look at alternative logics for social media published in connection with “Reimagine the Internet”
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Forum Logic: Topical, with a side of toxicity
Looking back at topic-based social networks may offer one way forward for social media
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Q&A Logic: Questions, answers, and everything in-between
Could social roles help us build healthier communities online?
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Creator Logic: It's like Uber but for culture
The original gig economy returns online
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Top 100: The most popular social media platforms and what they can teach us
Moving past U.S. and Facebook centrism
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Deplatforming Our Way to the Alt-Tech Ecosystem
What happens when you exile users and communities?
By Ethan Zuckerman & Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Local Logic: It's not always a beautiful day in the neighborhood
The advantages and disadvantages of local platforms and their potential to support healthy communities on- and offline
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Civic Logic: Social media with opinion and purpose
It may be our best chance to build digital spaces that enhance our social and civic life
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Chat Logic: When you want a living room, not a town square
People want privacy and ephemerality, but can it scale?
By Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci & Ethan Zuckerman -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
What if Social Media Worked More Like Email?
Hearkening back to the internet’s good ole days with decentralized networks
By Ethan Zuckerman & Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Crypto Logic Platforms and the Cautionary Tale of Steemit
What makes crypto social media unique?
By Ethan Zuckerman & Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci -
Deep Dive : Toward a Better Internet
Beyond Facebook Logic: Help us map alternative social media!
Toward a civic-minded social media
By Ethan Zuckerman & Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci -
Essays and Scholarship
The Case for Digital Public Infrastructure
Harnessing past successes in public broadcasting to build community-oriented digital tools
By Ethan Zuckerman