From Gutenberg to the Internet

The history of free expression is inextricably intertwined with advances in speech technology. However, until recently, most forms of communication were limited and controlled by so-called "gatekeepers" who had the power to limit or control the ability of ordinary individuals to communicate with each other. With the advent of the Internet and new forms of technology, people have much greater capacity to communicate with each other. Although both governments and private entities have attempted to control discourse over the Internet, new technologies have enabled ordinary individuals to more easily communicate with each other and to participate in the political process.

This new edition provides an up-to-date examination of how advancing technologies are implicating the democratic process. In addition to tracing the history and evolution of speech technologies, it examines how burgeoning social media — including Musk's takeover of Twitter (X) — has impacted traditional media (e.g., newspapers, radio and television), as well as its effects on political campaigns. New chapters on disinformation, robotic speech, bots and chatbots are included.

Weaver's book is particularly fascinating in charting the progress of communication from the cave-painting of prehistoric times to the social media interaction of the modern day. In his characteristically accessible style, he provides passages that are rich and breath-taking in the range and depth of rigorous scholarship, whilst at the same time deeply enjoyable, demonstrating both a love of the subject and a tremendous knowledge of its history.
— Dr. Paul Wragg, Communications Law, Vol. 24, No. 3, 2019 (on the Second Edition)

From personal experience I can vouch for it being an excellent addition to any media lawyer's collection. Weaver has managed to strike a very difficult balance: this book is accessible to a wide range of audiences, yet it provides a depth of analysis and insight that will make it invaluable to media law and communication scholars. It will also be of interest to practising media lawyers and those involved in communication policy and media regulation.

— Dr. Peter Coe, Entertainment Law Review 2020, 31(5), 185-186 (on the Second Edition)