Can Nick Clegg 'save' the internet? Really?

This article reviews Nick Clegg’s book *How To Save The Internet: The Threat to Global Connection in the Age of AI and Political Conflict*, which addresses the fragmentation of the global internet amid rising neonationalism and political polarization. Clegg, former UK politician and Meta’s ex-vice p...

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Publicado en:Political Quarterly Vol. 97; no. 1; pp. 177 - 180
Autor principal: Pountain, Dick
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Jan2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Can Nick Clegg 'save' the internet? Really?
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        Clegg, Nick, 1967-
        Polarization (Social sciences)
        Censorship
        Politicians
        Ethnonationalism
        Internet governance
        International organization
        Age verification systems
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        subj:
          Polarization (Social sciences)
          Censorship
          Politicians
          Ethnonationalism
          Internet governance
          International organization
          Age verification systems
          Clegg, Nick, 1967-
      ab: This article reviews Nick Clegg’s book *How To Save The Internet: The Threat to Global Connection in the Age of AI and Political Conflict*, which addresses the fragmentation of the global internet amid rising neonationalism and political polarization. Clegg, former UK politician and Meta’s ex-vice president of global affairs, argues that the internet’s democratizing potential is threatened by national digital silos and increasing calls for content censorship, which he largely opposes. The book proposes policy measures to counteract this "techlash," including age verification at the operating system level and international regulatory cooperation, though critics challenge Clegg’s downplaying of social media’s role in polarization and mental health issues. While some of Clegg’s solutions may hold value in a less polarized political climate, the current alignment of tech companies with divisive political forces complicates prospects for meaningful reform.
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    language: English
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