Positive Image of the Internet - Essay Example

Has Internet Helped to Create Freer and More Equal Diverse World

Module

Assessment Type

Student Number

Word Count

Introduction

There are over 12 billion devices connected to the internet and by 2020, this number is expected to grow to over 20 billion. The impact of internet on the world is not limited by provision of more data for better decision-making and improvement of the way government, businesses and individuals operate. Internet is everything and it makes more valuable and more relevant connections day by day (Dutta, Geiger & Lanvin, 2015). It offers countries around the world the opportunity to provide better lives and to create new ways for the organisations to do businesses. It offers individuals new ways to participate in policy and decision-making processes making information available. Thus, as means of spreading information, internet has though a wider impact, in particular on cultures and society. It has allowed individuals to network nationally, internationally and locally creating new forms of accountability. It has also promoted the development and transaction of relevant content in local languages, thus fostering the sharing of ideas and dialogue across the world. This paper seeks to present the importance of internet in creating a more diverse world. At the same time, internet is not considered to be the means for creation of freer or more equal world. Thus, there are many arguments over the digital divide between richer and poorer nations. In addition, among the main disadvantages of internet is cyber influence and westerminisation as processes that do not promote positive image of internet. Therefore, the main thesis statement for this paper is “Although internet creates more diverse world through allowing individuals to have access to information, developing and transacting relevant content in local languages and enabling individuals to network nationally and internationally, it also promotes digital divide among cultures and societies”.

Argument 1

Argument statement: Internet promotes digital divide among cultures and societies.

Supporting source

Despite the universally applicable definition if internet freedom, there are many nations that impose restrictions of different kinds to reflect diverse cultural norms. In addition, countries and societies define the internet freedom in a different way. The main aspect of internet freedom is a set of conflicts about how the net should function. Thus, every particular society treats its internet users differently. Thus, Finland states a 1MB connection as the basic human right. France’s Council declares that internet access is a legal right. In Vietnam, the government blocks certain web resources in order to encourage users to use healthy material. At the same time, it is considered as blocking of human rights in such countries as U.S. Some European countries do not prohibit certain types of information such as true threats and obscene materials, but bans hate speech online (Defining internet freedom, 2010).

Comments

Being the most “online” nation in the world, U.S. for instance is in the most favourable position in comparison to other countries. In 2001, it was revealed that this nation has more computers that in the rest of the world put together. The global picture helps to put digital divided in the U.S. and other developed nations in the perspective. Thus, according to Poole (2005), 94% of people use telephones in U.S. while in Botswana this number equals to two per one hundred inhabitants. This speaks about how great the global digital divide really is. From the global perspective, the question of digital divide was raised in order to understand whether it is the U.S. that has better access to telecommunication or something that follows from other differences that makes the U.S. leader in internet user. So far some of the poorer nations claim for wealthier countries o set up a digital solidarity fund to subsidise technology transfer to the less developing world.

Argument 2

Argument statement: Internet promotes cyber influence and westerminisation

Supporting source

The development of internet and the software associated with it has shifted the whole point of influence positing informational, coercive, reward, legitimacy, expert and referent power. Cyber space has obtained the profound potential for influence (Kramer & Wentz, 2008). Its great role can be seen in the process of radicalization by web sites avenues. It is because the web sites such as Youtube, MySpace and Facebook influence individuals through emotive and value laden, rational and cognitive arguments and social/conforming communication. These resources bring huge influence. Thus, social networking sites, texting and communal gaming has made the long-term tactical planning for influencing campaigns (Hutchinson, 2009). Since internet has been developed by the Western world, it also influences greatly other cultures and societies. Thus, the new Western technology has influenced such countries as Turkey, Japan and South Korea, South Africa (Ola, 2015) and Phillipines (Zhou & Gatewood, 2007).

Comments

The cyber influence and westerminisation have also promoted the development of citizen journalism as the contribution to mainstream news and the provider of information for the most iconic images. Thus, there are numerous platforms available for individuals to upload the content. Twitter is the key player in this sphere. Citizen journalists through videos, pictures tweets and skype calls have captured many significant public events creating the new level of realism that traditional news reporting could never be reached.

Counter-argument 1

Counter- argument statement: Internet has created the flat earth where individuals can participate as equals.

Supporting source

The world of technology and internet has given people an ability to be informed, enabled and empowered citizens that can learn, talk and solve challenges of the world. The radical promise of the flat earth has become more transformative since equality and democracy have become means and ends (Lawson & Elbak, 2014).

Comments

The equality provided by internet is two-fold. On one hand, it provides many opportunities. On the other hand, these opportunities do not create equality among users. It is simply because every individual sees technology such as internet from the different perspective and those with limited view and purpose of internet do not fully embrace its usefulness.

Refutation

Technology can level and not tilting the playing field against low-income, minority and rural individuals. Despite the persistent considerations about technology to make the society more equal, these are only myths. In addition, it is supported by digital divide, which is not the problem itself, but a symptom of more important divides of income, development and literacy. It is also obvious that even if modern technology and internet appears in every single household, it would not achieve much due to the fact that computer is not useful if one does not have electricity or cannot read. It is the great role of technology such as internet in creating new possibilities, lowering barriers to information and communication. However, barriers are lowered more for some because the digital divide is the result of other divides.

Counter-argument 2

Counter- argument statement: The internet has provided an open access to information revolutionising the way individuals communicate and collaborate.

Supporting source

The fundamentals of internet stand in protocols designed to allow networks to interoperate. These networks represented different academic and research communities, the members of which cooperated and developed common standards to manage joint resources. The sharing of information was the main target of internet and with commercialisation, vendors and operators have obtained possibility to open protocol development process and use information they needed (Global internet report, 2014). In addition, the internet allowed traditional forms of communication to be more interactive and inclusive helpingusers to become the creators of information and be the consumers of such information. Thus, cultures have received an opportunity to share opinions and thoughts in blogs and videos, evaluate one’s another opinions through tweets and communicate through setting up video and audio calls.

Internet, which initially developed through public sector initiative, has provided free and open access to the valuable assets. Here, the attention is given on the collaboration and not isolation, extension and not on the restriction. The internet is considered to be an anarchistic and disorganised place with an ocean of information connected according to the non-linear rules of hyper-links. It is effective for sharing ideas and taking the initiatives to make connections regardless distance, time zones and preconceptions (21st century technologies, 1998).

Comments

Indeed, the resources of internet are not limited, however, one sitting at the computer in Pakistan and UK can obtain similar portion of information. Here, the great role is given to the regulations of the country where the user is located. In addition, not all sources of information are free or they require specific qualification such as degree in using shared information. It is, therefore, possible to assume that not all kinds of information are of easy access.

Refutation

Despite the common appeals to open access and freedom that internet provides, there is a continuing uncertainty in what comprises the most appropriate regulatory model to manage information networks with open access to information. While internet has become more central across the world to shape access to treasures of information, it still requires to be regulated. For that purpose, a number of research groups have already conducted groundbreaking research with the focus on monitoring and blocking websites over time and across nations (Freedom of connection, freedom of expression, 2011). Such actions refer to some extent to digital divide as nations have limited access to the opportunities of internet, they miss opportunities to obtain desirable jobs and increase their lives by using computers and internet in general (Acilar, 2011).

Conclusion

Indeed, while internet promotes digital divide, it creates more diverse world. Many factors contribute towards that. One of them is that individuals use technology such as internet to further leverage their capabilities and build on their advantages. At the same time, even the technology critics mislead the communities as having identified technology problem, they tend to think in terms of technology solutions. At the same time, while focusing on digital divides, the new perspectives and views can give individuals an ability to understand the real necessity on the internet.