1. The Internet and Civil Society

2. Dangers and Opportunities Grounds for Concern: –Inequality –Weakened Social Bonds –Diminished Public Deliberation –Rampant Consumerism –Eroding Privacy

3. Equity The Necessary Means for Connecting to the Internet The Ones Who Can Afford Benefit The Poor and Less Educated Have No Choice

4. Thin Social Bonds Will the Internet Replace Strong and Emotionally Satisfying Bonds? Withholding Information: Ups and Downs Effects of Internet: Users Seem to Be More Active In the Long Run: Isolation

5. Thin Social Bonds “Thin” Communities: Ease of Exit “Thick” Communities: Discipline and Consequences Traditional Organizations and Weakened Discipline

6. Threats to Public Deliberation Online Public Deliberation as a Democratic Force Development of Opinions by Deliberation: Same Ideologies vs. Different Ideologies

7. Threats to Public Deliberation Online Filtering Internet Communications Balkanization Leading to No Compromises Survival of Bridge-Building Media

8. Consumer Choice Consumerism vs. Productivity and Creativity Consumer Choice vs. Freedom Preference Profiles and Targeted Advertisements Religion Becoming a Consumer Choice

9. Privacy Limits of Privacy Online Records and Databases The Threat to Voluntary Association

10. Conclusion: A Reform Agenda Non-Profit Organizations Is Federal Intervention Necessary? Public Initiatives Started Bottom-Up