This paper considers two divergent experiences of grassroots activism through the Internet. First, it considers the First World, where the Internet has made possible coalitions for redress of specific grievances that could not have existed before. In the First World, Internet access tends to be both broadly based and deeply used, lessening the cost of communication. Organizations of disparate individuals united by a common interest can effectively forward an agenda without heavy organizational overhead. Second, it considers the use of the Internet in the Third World, where it primarily replaces pamphlets as a more effective form of communication between dissident movements. For the Third World, the Internet's advantages are not primarily its speed and ease of use so much as its near anonymity and only partial control by the state.
In the First World, this paper will examine a case study of Internet mobilization against a Bay Area radio station. A disc jockey's comments urging drivers to "take out" bicyclists when they rode beside cars sparked a firestorm of protest against the station from ROMP, the Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers. The station eventually apologized and redressed the issue through public service announcements.
         This paper will take the Chinese dissident movement as a case study in the Third World, looking at Internet use by various groups opposed to the totalitarian government there. In China, the Internet has been used to distribute information among local groups and as a conduit for information from exiled dissidents living primarily in North America. However, the Internet is partially controlled by the government, leading to interplay between the decentralizing technology and the centralizing state.
By examining these two case studies, this paper will look at the differences and similarities between the two uses of the Internet and discuss the consequences of each mode of use.