research-article

An Internet-less World?: Expected Impacts of a Complete Internet Outage with Implications for Preparedness and Design

Authors:

Sukeshini A Grandhi,

Linda Plotnick,

Starr Roxanne HiltzAuthors Info & Claims

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, Volume 4, Issue GROUP

Article No.: 03, Pages 1 - 24

https://doi.org/10.1145/3375183

Published: 04 January 2020 Publication History

Abstract

In HCI research, non-use of systems, especially involuntary loss of use, is a relatively neglected topic. How do people perceive the impacts on their lives should the Internet go out for an extended period of time? Would it be a minor inconvenience or Armageddon? We took a Futures Studies approach to conduct a conceptualized future, scenario-based study with 754 responses to a survey of mostly students at three universities and used framing theory to help explicate the findings from qualitative data analysis. Our data show that most respondents do believe a long-term complete Internet outage is possible; however, perceptions in terms of what the impacts would be range widely. Most participants employ an egocentric frame to understand the impacts in terms of changes in their personal relationships and activities, with both gains and losses envisioned. A minority frame their visions in terms of the societal level, with severe infrastructure problems resulting. This paper is the first to explore perceptions of the potential impacts of an Internet outage and provide implications for preparedness and design.

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Index Terms

An Internet-less World?: Expected Impacts of a Complete Internet Outage with Implications for Preparedness and Design
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
    1. Empirical studies in HCI

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cover image Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction Volume 4, Issue GROUP

GROUP

January 2020

405 pages

EISSN:2573-0142

DOI:10.1145/3378060

Editors:
Cliff Lampe
University of Michigan
,
Jeff Nichols
Google
,
Karrie Karahalios
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
,
Geraldine Fitzpatrick
Vienna University of Technology
,
Uichin Lee
KAIST
,
Andres Monroy-Hernandez
Microsoft Research
,
Wolfgang Stuerzlinger
Simon Fraser University, Canada

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Published: 04 January 2020

Published in PACMHCI Volume 4, Issue GROUP

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Cited By

Anderson SBell TEgan PWeinshenker NBarford P(2023)Measuring the Impacts of Power Outages on Internet Hosts in the United StatesCritical Infrastructure Protection XVII10.1007/978-3-031-49585-4_4(62-90)Online publication date: 29-Dec-2023
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49585-4_4
Selwyn N(2021)Ed-Tech Within Limits: Anticipating educational technology in times of environmental crisisE-Learning and Digital Media10.1177/20427530211022951(204275302110229)Online publication date: 10-Jun-2021
https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530211022951
Haesler SMogk RPutz FLogan KThiessen NKleinschnitger KBaumgärtner LStroscher JReuter CKnodt MHollick M(2021)Connected Self-Organized Citizens in Crises: An Interdisciplinary Resilience Concept for NeighborhoodsCompanion Publication of the 2021 Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing10.1145/3462204.3481749(62-66)Online publication date: 23-Oct-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3462204.3481749
Haapoja JLampinen AVesala K(2021)Personalised Services in Social SituationsProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/34329184:CSCW3(1-21)Online publication date: 5-Jan-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3432918
Thaduri AGalar DKumar U(2020)Space weather climate impacts on railway infrastructureInternational Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management10.1007/s13198-020-01003-911:S2(267-281)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2020
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13198-020-01003-9

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