With major companies controlling the internet today there has been a shift away from cyber libertarian views of the internet to Walled Gardens which is essentially an increase in surveillance, control and censorship. The rise of popular social media sites such as facebook, twitter, myspace and Google+ has allowed a social element to become attached to the Walled Garden approach.
Within these walled garden companies can then create specifically tailored walls called Stacks. Stacks are referred to as vertically integrated walled gardens which need a proprietary operating system to run for example Facebook. Users then interact within facebook whilst they are monitored by the central network. These stacks restrict what you can and can’t do on their system. Apple another major brand uses its stack to control their devices. If you try and change an iPhone without Apple’s permission they shut your phone down and it becomes unusable.
SO! Why does it matter that companies are controlling your online usage? Well companies are taking away your right to freedom online.
Reference List:
Mitew, T, 2014, The Feudalisation of the Internet [part 5], University of Wollongong, 1st September, accessed 30th October 2015,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpFPC8N6IrQ&index=23&list=PLiPp71qLKusXOU1bKxHVappCbRNN3-J-j
Tofel, K 2014, Lawyers say iPods deleted songs not purchased from Apple, gigaom.com, accessed 3rd September 2015,https://gigaom.com/2014/12/04/lawyers-say-ipods-deleted-songs-not-purchased-from-apple/
2014, Apple copyright case could cost Samsung $2bn, The Week, 31st March, accessed 3rd September 2015, http://www.theweek.co.uk/business/apple-vs-samsung/57621/apple-copyright-case-could-cost-samsung-2bn
A Collection of Thoughts 
I really like your post about stacks and how they operate! you really gave a good example of companies and their walled gardens and it really is crazy how they can just turn your phone into a brick of you even try and get out of their ecosystem. I don’t know if something happened with your post though but there is no element of a remediation! Great analysis though.
Love the meme! I actually laughed. haha
Is that actually what they do with apple iphones? I though if you jailbreak it, then it just becomes void in terms of warranty.. but apple doesn’t shut it down to be unusable? I think your post could have a brief statement as to why there are walled gardens/stacks.
Great post! you explained and simplified the definition of walled gardens really clearly. I don’t think they are taking away our right to freedom though in this scenario, I think it’s something that we give up in exchange for convenience.
Really succinct post, nice job at encapsulating the idea of Walled Gardens and what Stacks are. However, would these companies be inhibiting the average user’s freedom online?
Most people use Apple products for ease of access and reliability not to breach ToS, and I mean the average user isn’t tied to a specific brand, if they want to modify the source code and jailbreak their phone without huge repercussions they could easily buy an Android instead right?