There is no doubt that terms like ‘new media’ and ‘web 2.0’ have become buzzwords in social and cultural studies. When we say something is a ‘buzzword’, we imply that things have been taken for granted and remain unthought-of. Remaining unthought-of means that what is ‘new’ is perceived as contiguous to the ‘old’, or even constituted by the old. Given the close association between social movements and the media, the demand for a new form of politics is no longer novel; nevertheless, it remains a key question. At issue is the effi cacy and potential of the new media. If the new media is going to open up something, then what is that thing?