You have slightly misunderstood/misquoted me here. If you look at my work I am critically involved in trying to untangle the gordian knot of online networked publics - I certainly don't just dismiss them. However, I don't think it is fair to criticise Habermas for his work when he has bracketed out technology from communication for analytical puposes (i.e. placed it in the sphere of instrumental reason). None of us can write Universal theory, and clearly when someone like Benkler tries to do so in The Wealth of Networks, he comes across as completely spellbound to the promise of new technology - always a danger in any kind of New Media research project.