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The internet is 50 years old today. This seems like a good time to do a round up some interesting/helpful history about this powerful relatively new part of our “social environment,” as well as to shout out to some links and resources for social workers to show how creatively, professionally and resourcefully, we are responding to ways of utilizing technologies to heighten, widen and increase our impact. And we’re only getting started.
History of the Internet
Fun brief film story from NBC on the history of the internet (2019)
How the internet works (2019)
The global internet is disintigrating: What comes next? (2019)
The fight to keep the internet free and open to everyone (2019)
Why is there so little left of the early internet (2019)
24/7 – Group of UK Art Exhibit on the Impact of the Internet on Society (2019)
What would a post about the history of the internet be without a Wikipedia entry about this? Check it out here.
The Internet/Digital Rights and the Upcoming Presidential Campaign in the U.S.
Digital Bill of Rights formulated and sent to presidential hopefuls (2019)
Where the 2020 Presidential candidates stand on the future of the internet (2019)
The Future of the Internet
A better internet is waiting for us (2019)
Pew Research overview of the next 50 years of digital life (2019)
The future of the internet – a discussion with its inventor (2019)
The future of the internet (World Economic Forum) (2018)
The Internet and Human Rights
Amnesty’s International’s resource page on the Internet as a Human Right
International Centre for Law and Democracy report on the Internet and Human Rights (2016)
Brookings Institution report on the Internet as a Human Right (2016)
Helpful infographic from the Association of Progressive Communications on the issue of the Internet and Human Rights (no date)
Internet Society presentation on human rights and the internet (2016)
What are your digital rights? (2015)
Racism on the Internet – and What to Do About It
As responsible citizens, here’s what we can all do to reduce racism online (2019)
This is how racism is spread across the world on the internet (2019)
The internet is a cesspool of racist pseudoscience (2019)
Racism on the internet: A research agenda (2018)
Combating hate and white nationalism online (2018)
6 Creative Ways to Use the Internet to Fight Racism (2017)
Internet Safety
17 Experts Offer Internet Safety Advice for Families (2019)
Internet safety guidelines from the US Federal Communications Commission
Symantec’s Family Guide to Online Safety
Children and media tips for technology from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2018)
The Internet and Democracy
UN makes “declaration of digital interdependence” with new report (2019)
Weaponizing the digital influence machine: The political perils of online ad tech (2018)
Needed: A bill of rights for the digital age (2018)
The human consequences of computational propaganda (2018)
Social Work-Specific Internet and Tech Resources
(Social Work practice and education colleagues – please dm with additional resources you’d like to share/boosted in this space and I’ll continue to revise!)
A group of intrepid and groundbreaking social workers and social work educators from throughout the United States have been using a Twitter hashtag #swtech for a number of years now. Please search this hashtag on Twitter and explore the innovative things happening in this space.
Review of new book called “Teaching Social Work with Digital Technology”, Iverson-Hitchcock, Sage and Smyth (2019)
#SWTech – An introduction and history of an online group (2019) and #SWTech: The beginnings of an online community (2019)- at Dr. Laurel Iverson’s wonderful SW Education Blog.
Future of technology in social work practice article (2018)
SafeLab at Columbia University – groundbreaking work in social work doing research in social media and internet spaces
CSWE’s Future of Social Work Task Force Report (2018) – Tech featured strongly in this report.
Grand Challenge “Harnessing Technology for Social Good” resource page
Technology in Social Work Education – Iverson-Hitchcock, Sage and Smyth/University of Buffalo School of Social Work (2018)
Ethical standards for social workers’ use of technology: Emerging consensus (2018)
NASW Standards regarding use of technology in practice (2017)
Social Work Futures 