Nattering on the Net: Women, Power, and Cybersapce

Published Under the Garamond Imprint Multimedia, the information superhighway and the Internet have changed our world almost beyond recognition. Electronic networks have revolutionized the human relationship to time and space, and have undermined national boundaries. But what of class, race and gender boundaries? Is it true that women use technology, but men fall in love with it? Dale Spender promises to change the way we think about computers. She reveals that men are writing the road rules for the information superhighway subjecting women to new forms of sexual harassment and even data rape. Violence on the Internet is an all-too-common event in virtual reality. These are some of the problems raised by the new technologies, but Dale Spender is also excited about the possibilities of the new media. She asks, will the Internet create virtual sisterhood? Nattering on the Net is the result of many years’ research during which the author made the transition from books to the Internet. She conveys her sheer delight cruising the Web and satisfying her unquenchable curiosity. She argues that it is creating unimaginable opportunities in the areas of education and authorship; the question is: can we use it for good?