The Privatized Internet Has Failed Us

Ben Tarnoff’s Internet for the People argues that the internet’s privatization has failed, leading to monopolistic control by corporations like Google and Amazon, which prioritize profit over user needs. These platforms, likened to “online malls,” create extractive systems that exploit data, fuel inequality, and enable harmful dynamics like right-wing radicalization. The book traces how privatization—first of infrastructure, then of services—eroded the internet’s potential as a public good.

Tarnoff critiques the libertarian idealism underpinning early internet visions, showing how capitalist incentives pushed platforms to centralize power, undermine privacy, and distort social interactions. He rejects superficial fixes like antitrust laws or privacy regulations, advocating instead for deprivatization: shifting control of key systems to communities and collective ownership.

For infrastructure, he highlights community-owned networks (e.g., in the U.S.), which offer better service at lower costs than telecom giants. For digital services, he proposes a shift away from giant platforms toward smaller, decentralized “protocolized” systems, where interoperable tools allow users to join or leave communities without monopolistic gatekeepers. Public funding for media and user-driven governance models are also emphasized to counter corporate dominance.

Tarnoff stresses that decentralization alone isn’t a cure-all—it can concentrate power if not designed thoughtfully—and argues solutions must balance centralized and decentralized structures depending on context (e.g., national infrastructure vs. local digital communities). The goal is to democratize technology, making it a tool shaped by collective needs rather than corporate profit.

Ultimately, the book calls for reimagining internet ownership and design to prioritize equity and social good, urging experimentation with community-led models as foundational steps toward a more just digital future.