Book Review: Cyberlibertarianism by David Golumbia

David Golumbia’s Cyberlibertarianism is a powerful and densely argued work that explores the ideological underpinnings of digital technology and its deep ties to right-wing political thought. Completed just before his death in 2023, the book functions as a summative statement of Golumbia’s lifelong skepticism of digital utopianism and its supposed neutrality. His central claim, that much of what is celebrated as “liberatory” digital activism is in fact aligned with libertarian and, increasingly, authoritarian ideologies, is a sobering rejoinder to techno-optimism.

Book Review: Cyberlibertarianism by David Golumbia

Cyberlibertarianism - Introduction and Central Argument

At its core, Cyberlibertarianism critiques the widespread belief that digital technologies, especially the internet, are inherently democratizing. Golumbia argues that this belief, pervasive in Silicon Valley and among internet freedom advocates, is a rhetorical smokescreen that conceals a deregulatory, anti-democratic ideology rooted in libertarian economic and political thought. Drawing on thinkers like Langdon Winner and Richard Barbrook, as well as his own earlier work (The Politics of Bitcoin, 2016), Golumbia methodically dismantles the foundational myths of the digital era—from “open culture” to “free software” to “internet freedom”—and traces their often unacknowledged links to right-wing extremism.

Cyberlibertarianism Strengths: Intellectual Depth and Historical Grounding

The book's strengths lie in its intellectual rigor and its sweeping historical scope. Golumbia offers a richly contextualized political genealogy of digital ideology, stretching from the Cold War and 1960s counterculture to the techno-libertarian dreams of the 1990s and the proto-fascist digital movements of the 2010s. His discussion of the symbiotic relationship between libertarian rhetoric and corporate capital, particularly in the case studies of Section 230 and organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, exposes the hidden political work behind seemingly “neutral” or “progressive” digital movements.

The chapters on “cyberfascism” and the links between online platforms and right-wing mobilization are especially potent. Here, Golumbia is at his best: polemical, yes, but anchored in empirical events (e.g., Gamergate, QAnon, January 6), revealing how cyberlibertarian ideals have created fertile ground for disinformation and anti-democratic action.

Cyberlibertarianism Weaknesses: Lack of Engagement and Theoretical Insularity

Despite its incisiveness, the book is not without shortcomings. First, it often reads as a polemic rather than a dispassionate critique. While Golumbia acknowledges that not all digital activists are reactionaries, his argument often proceeds by implication, with little generosity toward dissenting views or acknowledgment of pluralism within digital culture.

Second, the book’s critique sometimes suffers from a lack of theoretical nuance. Golumbia forcefully discredits libertarian frameworks but largely ignores or caricatures counter-arguments from those who see merit in decentralized technologies, encryption, or open-source platforms as tools for marginalized groups. By painting with broad strokes, he risks alienating technologists and readers who might otherwise be sympathetic to democratic critiques of technology.

Third, while the book traces connections between cyberlibertarianism and the right, it largely sidesteps a deeper engagement with leftist digital movements or theorists who have tried to reclaim digital tools for progressive ends.

Cyberlibertarianism - Comparative Context and Contribution

Golumbia’s work stands in productive tension with books like Fred Turner’s From Counterculture to Cyberculture and Evgeny Morozov’s To Save Everything, Click Here. Where Turner adopts a sociological lens and Morozov a reformist one, Golumbia is more ideologically explicit, aiming to expose the roots of what he sees as a dangerous and hegemonic worldview. Compared to Morozov’s techno-skepticism or Tarleton Gillespie’s policy-focused work, Golumbia’s intervention is more radical: he doesn’t want to fix the current system; he wants to expose it as a political fraud.

This book is especially relevant in a moment when technology is increasingly seen not only as infrastructure but as a terrain of political struggle. Golumbia’s contribution is to insist that we stop pretending it’s neutral.

Cyberlibertarianism - Final Verdict

Cyberlibertarianism is not an easy or comfortable read, but it is necessary. Scholars of media studies, technology policy, digital activism, and critical theory will find in it a searing and uncompromising challenge to dominant narratives. However, its refusal to entertain countervailing views or recognize complexities may limit its appeal to those outside the choir.

⭐⭐⭐½☆ Rating: 3.5 / 5

Pros: Intellectually coherent, engagingly personal, strong on ideological background

Cons: Limited critique, narrow scope, lacks engagement with opposing views

Recommended for: Media theorists, technology policy scholars, digital skeptics, political scientists focused on ideology, and readers critical of Silicon Valley boosterism

Reservations: Not suited for readers seeking pluralistic debate, sympathetic accounts of digital activism, or reform-minded technology policy