An examination of the social impact of the Internet, this volume explores political, social, technical, legal, and economic controversies in a manner accessible to the general reader. Today more than one billion people worldwide use the Internet for communication, shopping, business, and research. But in the last five years they have lost over $10 billion to malicious computer attacks alone. Is there a way to keep the benefits and avoid the problems? The Internet and Society: A Reference Handbook explores both the positive aspects of the Internet and its darker side. Topically organized, it chronicles the background and history of the Internet, with a focus on the 1960s and beyond. Through analysis of the latest research in sociology, political science, economics, law, and computer science, it examines problems, varieties of cybercrime, controversies, and solutions related to the Internet's phenomenal growth. It also illuminates the likely directions of the Internet's future and the ongoing challenges it presents to societies around the globe.