The death of the internet...
Introduction
It is difficult to think that we did not have the internet a few years ago, and that a technology, as the internet, has shaped our world completely into a new dimension. Information is now freely available, and the way how we communicate has dramatically changed over the past decade. The effects of the internet also brought negative aspects. We are truly within the information age. The internet is no longer just attached to a devise as a computer, but is available in personal devises such as mobile phones and televisions. Businesses are being shaped, started and run via the internet. The globalization of society is now truly a reality with the help of the internet.
Background
David Wolman in “the critics need a reboot. The internet hasn’t led us into a new dark age” (http://www.wired.com/culture/culrereviews/magazine/16-09/st) argues that the critics, as the articles heading suggest, is taking on the internet as a phenomenon that is backtracking society at large. Although David Wolman makes argumentatively good arguments for the use of the internet, it must be stated that there are indeed flues with the internet. However the internet remains as one of the biggest, if not strongest influence on society at large at current state.
It is difficult to think that the internet as we know it today did not exist 15 years ago.
Asserting the issue
I agree with David Wolman that the internet has certainly not led us into the dark ages. There are a few controversial issues surrounding the internet. Within this assignment I will try and counter-argue these points, and try to proof that the internet as at large benefits society. We will look at the benefits and disadvantages of the internet. We will look at the correctness of information found on the internet, the role “pidia’s” (like wikipedia) and search engines (like Google) has influenced the way we use the internet. I will also look at addictions within the internet sphere. These topics all indicate certainly problems with the way we handle information, but at large, it still does not indicate that we are “in a new dark age” or that the internet is negatively influencing society at large.
The mayor disadvantages of the internet
The three mayor disadvantages of the internet are: personal information, pornography and spamming (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_the_disadvantages_of_the_internet).
Personal information refers to not only our personal detail being open to possible fraud, but also the way how we access information. With the internet we tend to only direct our attention to search engines that follow a specific way how we look up information. For example, if we search for a topic on a search engine like Google, we tend to only look at the first few pages of the results given. The information displayed on the first few pages may certainly not be the only information that there is about a topic, and we certainly trust the search engine to bring up the most reliable information. We can therefore assume that we access information only if it correlates with the amount of time we have to research a topic i.e. we don’t read long winding articles anymore, but prefer to have information in short pockets of information – this certainly brings various biases we have on topics. Thin of social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook – the software only allows us to have sort sections written (no more then 150 words) – this hardly gives you the full picture.
Pornography has become a mayor issue within society. Not that it have not been available before, but with the internet the accessibility of pornography has become increasingly easier. This might just be the biggest downfall of the internet – our society has seen over the last few years’ pornography on the internet increasing, and possible exposing what previously was only done in very private matters. The access of pornography is a very private matter, the problem becomes a society one, when the internet is used to exploit others, normally without their knowledge. Think of child pornography as a prime example as how the internet can influence aspects like pedophilia; certainly not something our society would hopefully like to encourage, since we agree that it is immoral and wrong.
Spamming refers to the unwanted information being received, that we did not ask for, or is deliberately directed at us. This not only includes un-solicited emails, but also marketing on the internet – normally in the form of either a window pop up, or a banner within a certain screen that we would like to access the information from. We are bombarded with information, that we don’t have a need for. Spamming also refers to how emails like chain letters are reaching end users.
Counter arguments for the disadvantages:
As David Wolman stated “its naive to think that the digital age will magically remedy stupidity”. Regarding the issue of personal information: people need to take responsibility, and certainly educated, that not all information on the internet is valid, true or even remotely correct. People need to be made aware, that search engines have build in “popularity”, and this means that sites will be sited according to what relevant information is provided on them. A huge amount of research is being spent to learn how search engines produce information, and to increase “hits” on particular websites (http://ask.metafilter.com/65244/How-Does-a-Google-Query-Work). What is important to note is that not only is information filtered i.e. not all websites are listed, but information is not always correct since anybody can publish information on the internet. Having this at the back of our minds, and to not only accept everything on the internet as true, will assist us in understanding the vast information available to us.
Pornography is a very personal choice and activity, and there are no ways how society can try to regulate a thing as pornography. There is however clever software that protects those that normally are “soft targets” like children and teens, by disabling any adult content from the internet. Once again proper education around these issues will help make the venerable more alert to these issues.
Spamming is very similar in pornography in the sense that the individual can rarely prevent it from happening, however once again software is available to ensure no unnecessary spamming takes place. The marketing sphere however realizes that the internet is becoming, and still is, a very lucrative business to advertise. We can however choose to look at spamming, and to report any negative marketing directed at us, or simply to ignore it.
Wikipedia
In David Wolman’s article he refers to the benefits of “wikipedia”, especially around the benefit of collectively owning information – which as he states it, history as never seen before. What David does not explicitly mention is that the biggest drawback to Wikipedia (or similar sites) is that anybody can contribute on wikipedia, and although the benefits certainly out weigh the negatives, the fact is that as per the previous section, information contained on Wikipedia might not be correct. What started as a college doctorate study quickly sinned of, in a world wide interest, almost similar to that of Google. With its humble beginning in 2000, Wikipedia has become the most cited websites of our time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wikipedia).
As David states “human tendency to seek information that supports preexisting assumptions” is indeed a well known fact. I however think that this will happen, whether with or without the help of the internet. Net can certainly not be blamed for the downfall of preexisting assumptions.
Wikipedia’s success is partly due to the fact that information, and in particular scientific information, is written in lay mans terms, and this in turn has provided society with easy of access to information.
From “wikipedia” searches springs probably one of the biggest pitfalls of the internet, and that is Plagiarism.
With Internet came the ease of information, but also a splurge of plagiarism (the use of others writing / ideas, and formulating it as your own). There is no way any person can claim information as their own on the internet, unless otherwise written by oneself. Even then the ease in which to copy information has seen huge amounts of effort spent by universities and companies to try and bring an ethical stance against plagiarism. Once again the only plausible solution will have to come from the users of the internet, ensuring that they site information correctly (where they obtain what) and also to what extent information is of their own thought. This is once again not a new concept, plagiarism came with teh printed word. Internet can certainly not be blamed for it.
The benefits of the internet
David only mention a few benefits within his argument, however there are other benefits to staff the notion that the internet is not leading us into a dark age but rather the opposite. Some of the information below is described in David Wolman’s article, but there are also other benefits.
Note; when referring to “free” information / internet, it constitutes that the only direct cost involved is that of accessing the information via a service provider. However certain devises (like for example Blackberry allows its users to surf the internet for free i.e. besides the normal mobile devise costs.)
The benefits of the internet are multitude.
The most obvious are:
• Ease of information; information, as David Wolman also states is now relatively easy to obtain. Most people have some form of access to the internet, and even in remote area’s information can be accessed via mobile phones. It is known that the mobile industry is the fastest growing industry. The down side to ease of information, is that is may not always be correct information, or may stimulate pre conception information (i.e. biased information).
• Downloading software; software, whether for free (free software) or whether paying for the software can now easily be downloaded from the internet, keeping most software up to date. The negative aspect of free software is that it may be pirated software, which is also rivant within the internet.
• Free sharing of software; similar to downloading software, most internet based systems can be shared freely. E-commerce sites like amazon.com and e-bay.com allow users from across the globe to sell goods. The effect of globalization is currently positive, however it also may negatively influence country identity.
• Shopping; e-commerce is a strong indication that the internet is exploring new avenues of commerce which may stimulate economical growth.
• On line communities; probably one of the strongest aspects of the internet is the establishment of on line communities that can connect with one another. This supports the new “tribe” functionality on the internet, from social to scientific communities can now easily share information on the internet. The negative aspect to this is again that biased groups may also formulate on the internet. Far political right individuals for example, can now connect with other with ease.
• Free email / communication methods; most internet software now comes standard with a free email account, giving the user the benefit to receive free emails without having to pay additional costs for email download or access.
• New career opportunities; the internet provides various new career opportunities. Especially with the current world recession, new avenues have to be explored, since the fall of the “normal” commercialism has seen very negative effects.
• Real mobile office functionalities; the internet allows for true mobile office functionality. Individuals can now comfortably work from home and complete work via the internet. Most companies however are still reluctant to embrace the benefits of home based employees. It has however been proven that home based employees are far more productive given the right guidance, like social events to still connect with people on a humane level.
• Entertainment; most likely the biggest spin off on the internet is the entertainment industry with its millions of websites available on the internet. The negative aspect of this is new forms of addiction, where people would rather prefer to connect via a technological platform then a “real” platform.
• Saving the use of paper, the internet provides us with the opportunity to truly save the environment by doing most things “paperless”.
• Assisting those that are unable to access conventional information sources; with the use of mobile devices and other sources people in rural areas can access the internet.
• Connecting scientists around the globe; the scientific community is increasingly easy to connect with one another, sharing findings and research, and thus enhancing positive spin off from globalization.
The future of the internet
According to Professor Jonathan Zitrain (Professor at Oxford University) the future of the internet can be summarized in 4 mayor areas:
“Leverage (he means roughly the extent to which a technology modularizes and makes available routine tasks), adaptability (what we engineers usually call expressivity or size of design space), learnability, and accessibility.”
(http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2008/08/10/the-future-of-the-internet-according-to-jonathan-zittrain/)
What professor Zitrain is saying is that the internet will have to have the 4 aspects of leverage, adaptability, learnability and accessibility to empower itself beyond its current state. He further proposes that the legal framework for the internet will rarely catch up with the technological advances taking place.
David Wolman mentions a few “doom profits” within his article stipulating that they site the Internet as a mayor problem. The problem is not the internet per se, but rather teh people and policy makers making use of the internet.
The China case
A good reference point to proof that internet is not an “animal that can’t be contained” is the China case. The Chinese government has successfully established and maintained a censorship on various topics that is referred to as the Golden Shield Project, compiled by the Minister of Information.
The censorship censors the following topics:
• Websites related to the persecuted Falun Gong spiritual practice
• News sources that often cover some taboo topics such as police brutality, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, freedom of speech, democracy, and Marxist sites. These sites include Voice of America, BBC News, and Yahoo! Hong Kong
• Media sites which may include unregulated content, social commentary or political commentary censored by the PRC. The Chinese Wikipedia and Livejournal are examples of such blocked sites.
• Sites hosted by Taiwan's government and major newspaper and television media and other sites with information on Taiwanese independence
• Web sites that contain obscenity, pornography, and criminal activity.
• Sites linked with the Dalai Lama and his International Tibet Independence Movement, including his teachings.
• "Nine Commentaries" or the nine articles that were published by theepochtimes.com that comment on the Chinese Communist Party
From the above list, the websites of the Voice of America, BBC News, Yahoo! Hong Kong, and the Chinese Wikipedia are currently unblocked.
“Blocked websites are indexed to a lesser degree, if at all, by some Chinese search engines, such as Baidu and Google China. This sometimes has considerable impact on search results. According to a Harvard study, at least 18,000 websites are blocked from within mainland China. According to The New York Times, Google has set up computer systems inside China that try to access Web sites outside the country. If a site is inaccessible, then it is added to Google China's blacklist. However, once (if) unblocked, the websites will be reindexed.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China)
The printed media
David Wolman refers to the printed media as having a “publishing industry choke hold”, which was undoubtedly the case a few years ago. The internet has certainly provided the consumer with various options of receiving publications.
It must be said however that the actual printing of newspapers and books will most likely never go out of fashion, simply because people have the need to hold whatever they are reading. The psychological effects newspapers and books have are engraved in our collective memory bank.
By having both print copies and online copies, newspapers can make more money for advertisement. It is a known fact that the paper base publication houses has definitely declined in printing material, however there is still a need for paper based publications.
The environmental benefit from online only publications is numerous. The new surges of interest on environmental issues are not unfounded, and the internet has not only provided a solution for a “paper base” civilization, but also provides quick and easy information sharing around environmental issues.
Limited research on the use of the internet
Due to the fact that there is currently no research that provides us support for the effects of internet on society, we are unable to correctly predict the positive and negative effects of the internet. Also the internet has very limited time span (around 15 years in public domain) to do research on.
However it must be stipulated, that research is not necessarily required to establish the benefits, since it is “obvious”. An analogy can be easily found in the medicine science, where for example “the negative effects of a drug like nicotine” actually has no formal studies since the effects are obvious. We still accept however that nicotine is a drug that is addictive and has negative effects on the body.
Personal influence of the internet
My own experience of the internet is very positive. Not only does it provide me with easy access to information, but also provides me with opportunities to connect with others on the internet with similar interest. It allows me to research my topics for my study. The internet gives me the opportunity to read online articles and expose me to writers that would otherwise not be published (i.e. blogs). It provides me with entertainment.
Conclusion
From this assignment I have provided arguments and counter arguments on David Wolmans’s argumentative paper that the “internet is not putting us in the dark age”. I have taken a stance with David and agree that the internets benefits far outweigh the negative aspects that it provides.
I have discussed the benefits and have looked at the future possible uses of the internet.
Bibliography
The following websites have been consulted with the righting of this assignment:
• http://www.wired.com/culture/culrereviews/magazine/16-09/st
• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_the_disadvantages_of_the_internet
• http://ask.metafilter.com/65244/How-Does-a-Google-Query-Work
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wikipedia
• http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2008/08/10/the-future-of-the-internet-according-to-jonathan-zittrain/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China
• www.google.com
• www.blackberry.com
• www.wikipedia.com
It is difficult to think that we did not have the internet a few years ago, and that a technology, as the internet, has shaped our world completely into a new dimension. Information is now freely available, and the way how we communicate has dramatically changed over the past decade. The effects of the internet also brought negative aspects. We are truly within the information age. The internet is no longer just attached to a devise as a computer, but is available in personal devises such as mobile phones and televisions. Businesses are being shaped, started and run via the internet. The globalization of society is now truly a reality with the help of the internet.
Background
David Wolman in “the critics need a reboot. The internet hasn’t led us into a new dark age” (http://www.wired.com/culture/culrereviews/magazine/16-09/st) argues that the critics, as the articles heading suggest, is taking on the internet as a phenomenon that is backtracking society at large. Although David Wolman makes argumentatively good arguments for the use of the internet, it must be stated that there are indeed flues with the internet. However the internet remains as one of the biggest, if not strongest influence on society at large at current state.
It is difficult to think that the internet as we know it today did not exist 15 years ago.
Asserting the issue
I agree with David Wolman that the internet has certainly not led us into the dark ages. There are a few controversial issues surrounding the internet. Within this assignment I will try and counter-argue these points, and try to proof that the internet as at large benefits society. We will look at the benefits and disadvantages of the internet. We will look at the correctness of information found on the internet, the role “pidia’s” (like wikipedia) and search engines (like Google) has influenced the way we use the internet. I will also look at addictions within the internet sphere. These topics all indicate certainly problems with the way we handle information, but at large, it still does not indicate that we are “in a new dark age” or that the internet is negatively influencing society at large.
The mayor disadvantages of the internet
The three mayor disadvantages of the internet are: personal information, pornography and spamming (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_the_disadvantages_of_the_internet).
Personal information refers to not only our personal detail being open to possible fraud, but also the way how we access information. With the internet we tend to only direct our attention to search engines that follow a specific way how we look up information. For example, if we search for a topic on a search engine like Google, we tend to only look at the first few pages of the results given. The information displayed on the first few pages may certainly not be the only information that there is about a topic, and we certainly trust the search engine to bring up the most reliable information. We can therefore assume that we access information only if it correlates with the amount of time we have to research a topic i.e. we don’t read long winding articles anymore, but prefer to have information in short pockets of information – this certainly brings various biases we have on topics. Thin of social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook – the software only allows us to have sort sections written (no more then 150 words) – this hardly gives you the full picture.
Pornography has become a mayor issue within society. Not that it have not been available before, but with the internet the accessibility of pornography has become increasingly easier. This might just be the biggest downfall of the internet – our society has seen over the last few years’ pornography on the internet increasing, and possible exposing what previously was only done in very private matters. The access of pornography is a very private matter, the problem becomes a society one, when the internet is used to exploit others, normally without their knowledge. Think of child pornography as a prime example as how the internet can influence aspects like pedophilia; certainly not something our society would hopefully like to encourage, since we agree that it is immoral and wrong.
Spamming refers to the unwanted information being received, that we did not ask for, or is deliberately directed at us. This not only includes un-solicited emails, but also marketing on the internet – normally in the form of either a window pop up, or a banner within a certain screen that we would like to access the information from. We are bombarded with information, that we don’t have a need for. Spamming also refers to how emails like chain letters are reaching end users.
Counter arguments for the disadvantages:
As David Wolman stated “its naive to think that the digital age will magically remedy stupidity”. Regarding the issue of personal information: people need to take responsibility, and certainly educated, that not all information on the internet is valid, true or even remotely correct. People need to be made aware, that search engines have build in “popularity”, and this means that sites will be sited according to what relevant information is provided on them. A huge amount of research is being spent to learn how search engines produce information, and to increase “hits” on particular websites (http://ask.metafilter.com/65244/How-Does-a-Google-Query-Work). What is important to note is that not only is information filtered i.e. not all websites are listed, but information is not always correct since anybody can publish information on the internet. Having this at the back of our minds, and to not only accept everything on the internet as true, will assist us in understanding the vast information available to us.
Pornography is a very personal choice and activity, and there are no ways how society can try to regulate a thing as pornography. There is however clever software that protects those that normally are “soft targets” like children and teens, by disabling any adult content from the internet. Once again proper education around these issues will help make the venerable more alert to these issues.
Spamming is very similar in pornography in the sense that the individual can rarely prevent it from happening, however once again software is available to ensure no unnecessary spamming takes place. The marketing sphere however realizes that the internet is becoming, and still is, a very lucrative business to advertise. We can however choose to look at spamming, and to report any negative marketing directed at us, or simply to ignore it.
Wikipedia
In David Wolman’s article he refers to the benefits of “wikipedia”, especially around the benefit of collectively owning information – which as he states it, history as never seen before. What David does not explicitly mention is that the biggest drawback to Wikipedia (or similar sites) is that anybody can contribute on wikipedia, and although the benefits certainly out weigh the negatives, the fact is that as per the previous section, information contained on Wikipedia might not be correct. What started as a college doctorate study quickly sinned of, in a world wide interest, almost similar to that of Google. With its humble beginning in 2000, Wikipedia has become the most cited websites of our time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wikipedia).
As David states “human tendency to seek information that supports preexisting assumptions” is indeed a well known fact. I however think that this will happen, whether with or without the help of the internet. Net can certainly not be blamed for the downfall of preexisting assumptions.
Wikipedia’s success is partly due to the fact that information, and in particular scientific information, is written in lay mans terms, and this in turn has provided society with easy of access to information.
From “wikipedia” searches springs probably one of the biggest pitfalls of the internet, and that is Plagiarism.
With Internet came the ease of information, but also a splurge of plagiarism (the use of others writing / ideas, and formulating it as your own). There is no way any person can claim information as their own on the internet, unless otherwise written by oneself. Even then the ease in which to copy information has seen huge amounts of effort spent by universities and companies to try and bring an ethical stance against plagiarism. Once again the only plausible solution will have to come from the users of the internet, ensuring that they site information correctly (where they obtain what) and also to what extent information is of their own thought. This is once again not a new concept, plagiarism came with teh printed word. Internet can certainly not be blamed for it.
The benefits of the internet
David only mention a few benefits within his argument, however there are other benefits to staff the notion that the internet is not leading us into a dark age but rather the opposite. Some of the information below is described in David Wolman’s article, but there are also other benefits.
Note; when referring to “free” information / internet, it constitutes that the only direct cost involved is that of accessing the information via a service provider. However certain devises (like for example Blackberry allows its users to surf the internet for free i.e. besides the normal mobile devise costs.)
The benefits of the internet are multitude.
The most obvious are:
• Ease of information; information, as David Wolman also states is now relatively easy to obtain. Most people have some form of access to the internet, and even in remote area’s information can be accessed via mobile phones. It is known that the mobile industry is the fastest growing industry. The down side to ease of information, is that is may not always be correct information, or may stimulate pre conception information (i.e. biased information).
• Downloading software; software, whether for free (free software) or whether paying for the software can now easily be downloaded from the internet, keeping most software up to date. The negative aspect of free software is that it may be pirated software, which is also rivant within the internet.
• Free sharing of software; similar to downloading software, most internet based systems can be shared freely. E-commerce sites like amazon.com and e-bay.com allow users from across the globe to sell goods. The effect of globalization is currently positive, however it also may negatively influence country identity.
• Shopping; e-commerce is a strong indication that the internet is exploring new avenues of commerce which may stimulate economical growth.
• On line communities; probably one of the strongest aspects of the internet is the establishment of on line communities that can connect with one another. This supports the new “tribe” functionality on the internet, from social to scientific communities can now easily share information on the internet. The negative aspect to this is again that biased groups may also formulate on the internet. Far political right individuals for example, can now connect with other with ease.
• Free email / communication methods; most internet software now comes standard with a free email account, giving the user the benefit to receive free emails without having to pay additional costs for email download or access.
• New career opportunities; the internet provides various new career opportunities. Especially with the current world recession, new avenues have to be explored, since the fall of the “normal” commercialism has seen very negative effects.
• Real mobile office functionalities; the internet allows for true mobile office functionality. Individuals can now comfortably work from home and complete work via the internet. Most companies however are still reluctant to embrace the benefits of home based employees. It has however been proven that home based employees are far more productive given the right guidance, like social events to still connect with people on a humane level.
• Entertainment; most likely the biggest spin off on the internet is the entertainment industry with its millions of websites available on the internet. The negative aspect of this is new forms of addiction, where people would rather prefer to connect via a technological platform then a “real” platform.
• Saving the use of paper, the internet provides us with the opportunity to truly save the environment by doing most things “paperless”.
• Assisting those that are unable to access conventional information sources; with the use of mobile devices and other sources people in rural areas can access the internet.
• Connecting scientists around the globe; the scientific community is increasingly easy to connect with one another, sharing findings and research, and thus enhancing positive spin off from globalization.
The future of the internet
According to Professor Jonathan Zitrain (Professor at Oxford University) the future of the internet can be summarized in 4 mayor areas:
“Leverage (he means roughly the extent to which a technology modularizes and makes available routine tasks), adaptability (what we engineers usually call expressivity or size of design space), learnability, and accessibility.”
(http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2008/08/10/the-future-of-the-internet-according-to-jonathan-zittrain/)
What professor Zitrain is saying is that the internet will have to have the 4 aspects of leverage, adaptability, learnability and accessibility to empower itself beyond its current state. He further proposes that the legal framework for the internet will rarely catch up with the technological advances taking place.
David Wolman mentions a few “doom profits” within his article stipulating that they site the Internet as a mayor problem. The problem is not the internet per se, but rather teh people and policy makers making use of the internet.
The China case
A good reference point to proof that internet is not an “animal that can’t be contained” is the China case. The Chinese government has successfully established and maintained a censorship on various topics that is referred to as the Golden Shield Project, compiled by the Minister of Information.
The censorship censors the following topics:
• Websites related to the persecuted Falun Gong spiritual practice
• News sources that often cover some taboo topics such as police brutality, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, freedom of speech, democracy, and Marxist sites. These sites include Voice of America, BBC News, and Yahoo! Hong Kong
• Media sites which may include unregulated content, social commentary or political commentary censored by the PRC. The Chinese Wikipedia and Livejournal are examples of such blocked sites.
• Sites hosted by Taiwan's government and major newspaper and television media and other sites with information on Taiwanese independence
• Web sites that contain obscenity, pornography, and criminal activity.
• Sites linked with the Dalai Lama and his International Tibet Independence Movement, including his teachings.
• "Nine Commentaries" or the nine articles that were published by theepochtimes.com that comment on the Chinese Communist Party
From the above list, the websites of the Voice of America, BBC News, Yahoo! Hong Kong, and the Chinese Wikipedia are currently unblocked.
“Blocked websites are indexed to a lesser degree, if at all, by some Chinese search engines, such as Baidu and Google China. This sometimes has considerable impact on search results. According to a Harvard study, at least 18,000 websites are blocked from within mainland China. According to The New York Times, Google has set up computer systems inside China that try to access Web sites outside the country. If a site is inaccessible, then it is added to Google China's blacklist. However, once (if) unblocked, the websites will be reindexed.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China)
The printed media
David Wolman refers to the printed media as having a “publishing industry choke hold”, which was undoubtedly the case a few years ago. The internet has certainly provided the consumer with various options of receiving publications.
It must be said however that the actual printing of newspapers and books will most likely never go out of fashion, simply because people have the need to hold whatever they are reading. The psychological effects newspapers and books have are engraved in our collective memory bank.
By having both print copies and online copies, newspapers can make more money for advertisement. It is a known fact that the paper base publication houses has definitely declined in printing material, however there is still a need for paper based publications.
The environmental benefit from online only publications is numerous. The new surges of interest on environmental issues are not unfounded, and the internet has not only provided a solution for a “paper base” civilization, but also provides quick and easy information sharing around environmental issues.
Limited research on the use of the internet
Due to the fact that there is currently no research that provides us support for the effects of internet on society, we are unable to correctly predict the positive and negative effects of the internet. Also the internet has very limited time span (around 15 years in public domain) to do research on.
However it must be stipulated, that research is not necessarily required to establish the benefits, since it is “obvious”. An analogy can be easily found in the medicine science, where for example “the negative effects of a drug like nicotine” actually has no formal studies since the effects are obvious. We still accept however that nicotine is a drug that is addictive and has negative effects on the body.
Personal influence of the internet
My own experience of the internet is very positive. Not only does it provide me with easy access to information, but also provides me with opportunities to connect with others on the internet with similar interest. It allows me to research my topics for my study. The internet gives me the opportunity to read online articles and expose me to writers that would otherwise not be published (i.e. blogs). It provides me with entertainment.
Conclusion
From this assignment I have provided arguments and counter arguments on David Wolmans’s argumentative paper that the “internet is not putting us in the dark age”. I have taken a stance with David and agree that the internets benefits far outweigh the negative aspects that it provides.
I have discussed the benefits and have looked at the future possible uses of the internet.
Bibliography
The following websites have been consulted with the righting of this assignment:
• http://www.wired.com/culture/culrereviews/magazine/16-09/st
• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_the_disadvantages_of_the_internet
• http://ask.metafilter.com/65244/How-Does-a-Google-Query-Work
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wikipedia
• http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2008/08/10/the-future-of-the-internet-according-to-jonathan-zittrain/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China
• www.google.com
• www.blackberry.com
• www.wikipedia.com
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