Down the Rabbit Hole: How Cyberspace and Digital Copyright becomes “Curiouser and Curiouser”

There are various metaphors that can be used to describe and analyze the phenomena and impact of the World Wide Web on present day society. One particularly pertinent metaphor is that of Alice in Wonderland as there are a number of correlations which can be drawn between the characters within the novel and various individuals, organizations, and policies that influence the internet. As such, this paper explores the metaphor between the internet and the characters who appear in Alice and Wonderland in terms of the characteristics they share with specific websites. These comparisons include: Alice and the user, Facebook and the Mad Hatter, and Google and the White Rabbit. By thinking of these websites in terms of their allegorical Wonderland character, it is easier to understand the effect and influence which they have upon our lives.