The second part of the BBC2 series takes the viewers deeper into the world of the internet.

Titled ‘Enemy of the State?’, the episode focuses on the huge power the web hands to its users and weighs that against the dangers and responsibilities that come with the power. Although, “weighs” might be wrong word as the programme is still mostly presenting issues rather than analysing them in detail.

If the pilot failed in providing many original points despite an impressive array of interviewees, the second episode doesn’t offer quite enough either. Too often a same conclusion is repeated – “the web enables us to establish communities beyond the geographical borders”. And of course, the comparison to the traditional media is also made often enough. “Now everyone can express their views simply by logging on to the internet.”

However, the second episode does bring some interesting cases to the agenda. Although China and its censorship issues might have been tackled by various media more than enough recently, the programme manages to deal with it nicely.

Along with the case study of China, the gem of this episode was the way the cyber attack against Estonia in 2007 was explained and taken further, with the presenter even speaking to the actual person behind it.

The most comical bit of the second episode comes from Wikileaks’ Daniel Schimtt’s interview which takes place – in true undercover reporting style – in a shady parking lot.

The second episode leaves us with the presenter’s thoughts on what will happen when the remaining 75% of the world’s population gets internet access.

I’m hoping that the third part will provide something more than “as the world becomes more connected, the ability to misuse the power increases as well”.

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Next episode on BBC 2 Saturday 13 February, 9.15pm
The Cost of Free – How commerce has colonised the web.

View the second episode on BBC iPlayer

Visit the programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/virtualrevolution/