The internet is always at the centre of debate. While some people think it's giving us opportunities that we wouldn't otherwise have (being able to talk to people from overseas etc), other people think it's dangerous, time-wasting and unnecessary.
The internet is a dangerous place, there's no doubt about that. Of all the stories you hear on the news about pheodophiles, stalkers or missing children, it's more than likely related to some chat room. Also, the amount of fraud, viruses and scam recieved over the internet is outstanding- the fact that an anti-virus software is vital to keep you safe online just makes me think how dangerous it can actually be.
There are also so many stories about bullying over the internet- as if there isn't enough in real life!!
Then again, it has done so many positive things- things like help bands promote themselves (Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen...), it helps us all with our education, and it's so easy to find articles without trawling through hundreds of books! And it helps us keep in touch with friends, and find old ones, and even make new ones! I think the internet does have good and bad points. I think you need to be wary of the internet, but used properly and safely, I think it's had a positive impact on society :) Rant over for now!
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I guess I should comemnt on your blog =) I agree with what you say about the internet, there seems to be much debate over whether it is a good or bad thing. The internet gets praised for how how it educationally helps us, promotes and raises awareness and helps build communication. But, at the same time the internet is often heavily slated because of fraud, privacy and illeagal downloads etc. As like any media form, there are going to be downs with the ups, we can't fully rely on anything, its just a matter of using it right and making the most of the goodness =) miss you dani! x
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think of 'with great power comes great responsibility'. We don't doubt how powerful the internet is, but who is taking responsibility?! With much of the web being so user-run/interactive, for anyone who has their hands on a computer connected to the internet (ok, so pretty much everyone, then?!,)it makes it hard to see who is responsible to govern all of the 'bad stuff'. ISP's, parental controls, various companies etc can all play small parts but the internet is really too big to have anyone take any large portion of responsibility, meaning a lot of the bad stuff gets through. And there's not really a lot that can be done. I guess like you have both said, this is something we just accept because of all the benefits of the internet.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Rodge. Since the demise of deference, the failure of dictatorships, and the rise of so-called 'liberal democracies', responsibility (and the accountability/control that this implies) is in short supply (witness the current world banking crisis). What's left is the debate in the 'public sphere' where extreme views/concerns/promotions fight it out to gain the dominant discourse of what's acceptable. So, although I think many heavily promoted myths about media new and old are wrong, I think that it's good that they still exist as correctives to inhuman behaviour. That's postmodernism for you!
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