From a Critical Social Theory (CST) perspective this work critiques assumptions that the internet brings about consumer empowerment through increased product information, and opportunities to communicate and share knowledge with companies and other consumers. It demonstrates that this assumption derives from the technologically determinist school of Information Systems (IS) thinking which is grounded in the myth that technology per se brings huge benefits, including wealth and empowerment. Illustrating that information systems development traditionally lacks a sense of "audience" failing to...