Global Insecurity and Digital Media - Essay Example

? Global Insecurity and Digital media Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Education, Insecurity and Digital Media 4 How does Digital Media help students in Education? 4 1.Global Media Literacy 4 2.Opinions on Global issues 4 3.Global knowledge networks 5 4.Online Publishing 5 War and Media Propaganda 5 Government Manipulation on the media 6 Television and Global Insecurity 7 Digital Media, Behavior Change and impact on National Security 8 Countering unethical use of digital media in National Security 9 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction Rise in information technology in the current world makes a huge contribution to increased use of digital media as means of communication. Many activities for example running of businesses nowadays use digital media because of simplicity brought out by rising information technology. The use of digital technology brings about advantages as well as disadvantages to the using community. For example, improved technology in information systems nowadays contributes to increased terrorism activities globally as it also helps in curbing the activity. However, apart form global issues, there are legal, social, and ethical issues resulting from the use of information technology in daily activities. The work that follows shows how security as a global issue relates to consumption of digital media or how the world incorporates digital media to present information. Most undertakings in the current world have adopted and started using the rising technology in information. Technology has even spread in areas that are desperately poor. There are many issues associated with global security which affect the world given that insecurity is now an issue of concern in the world. The rising insecurity in the world is a major concern that needs all countries’ preparation to curb its rise. Global advancement on the fight on insecurity depends much on communication, working in collaboration and building on innovation, factors that all depend on technology. Communication helps undeveloped countries learn about how developed countries fight insecurity. Information technology in these countries acts as a meeting place for people who wish to obtain information of concern. Education, Insecurity and Digital Media Global fight against insecurity goes hand in hand with education. Rise in global insecurity has led to introduction of education to fight terrorism and other related practices for example, studies on criminology is as a result of increased rates of insecurity. Information technology acts as a medium and opportunity for learners and educators to access information on various curriculums on fight against insecurity or crimes. This is because literacy in information technology offers scholars information on doing more compared to doing things that they did by hand for example, data processing, retrieving or passing information from one person to another (Menten, 2013). Digital media nowadays allows scholars to participate in the most sophisticated global experiences in education. How does Digital Media help students in Education? 1. Global Media Literacy Proper utilization of Information technology, if well utilized can help students studying criminology and other security related curriculum. Development of media literacy globally helps students to access media from different countries around the world which contain news from international angles. This helps them evaluate how different countries fight insecurity, information which other countries can apply to their fight against insecurity because mass media brings out various’ countries perception on various issues. 2. Opinions on Global issues Exposure about other countries’ opinions helps students to evaluate how the countries argue regarding fight against insecurity. It is only through improved information technology such as social media that students have access to these arguments (Menten, 2013). Menten gives an example where Muslim students design digital audio slideshows of the history of their community, which they exchange with Asian students who also create theirs and post over the website (Menten, 2013). This helps students fro both communities to know the history of the other community, which helps them know how the other community deals with security matters. 3. Global knowledge networks The network help students collect and analyze information. Students’ participation in these networks helps them develop cross-cultural understanding in their efforts to addressing global issues. The networks also help them to collect information from multiple cultures and synthesize the information to generate new knowledge (Menten, 2013). For example, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program that engages youth, community members, scientists and educators from 110 countries on environmental issues can be a good example to security matters. 4. Online Publishing Use of online publishing and websites also helps students share research and ideas to audience from different countries. For example, Menten talks of International Insider student newspaper from the College of Staten Island High School in the city of New York, which covers many topics including conflicts in Iraq. A wide relationship to digital media exists here where students use blogging program to communicate to others in different countries (Menten, 2013). This gives an open insight on the impact made by introduction of social media in information technology on people interaction. War and Media Propaganda Fighting insecurity amongst many governments is a challenge that has not got a viable solution. Countries in fight against war and insecurity work with the media to pass information though many of them control what the media presents to the public. This mostly happens in countries where in many cases justice does not prevail to suspects. For example, governments in countries which practice capital punishment to offenders manipulate the media to give false information to the public especially where there is lose of lives. These governments also use the media to promote their political policies and ideologies, which becomes a problem when the public demands for information source (Shah, 2006). Government Manipulation on the media Public Relation firms that work closely to the government contribute a lot under manipulation to protect the government’s information on security matters. In matters concerning war, a government or a party or people with hidden agendas use various techniques to meet their demands. Some of these techniques include paying journalists, where these sectors pay journalists to promote certain issues ensuring that they do not mention the source of the information (Shah, 2006). Governments and individuals also contract Public Relations firms to sell war or give partial information on news without availing sources. The use of technology in Digital Media has got a higher concern in countries fighting insecurity especially where once country wants to spoil reputation of their opponent. Shah talks of smear tactics, which is a tactic used to spoil or destroy one’s reputation where a person can speak lies or change a truth about another. This is common due to increasing popularity of internet and programmes like Google which are an impact of information technology. Shah gives an example of Juan Cole, a history professor who was a victim of smear. The professor talks of David Horowitz who is a political opponent of Cole. Horowitz commissioned persons to write lies about Cole’s profile and smeared them in Google where everybody would read and think they were actual information (Shah, 2006). In this context, political opponents use digital media to attack or spoil each other in the public face. Taking this to international parameters can lead to enmity between countries that smear against each other. Media propaganda at this level may affect security concerns in the various countries. The New York Times in March 2005 revealed another example of government manipulation of the media where US Bush administration gave a fake news reporter to give a report on airport safety, given a false name for Transportation Security Administration (Shah, 2006). In fake news the government does not attribute the information to their production and whenever they attribute, the media broadcasts them without acknowledging the source. Most of these reports support the administration’s objectives like changing regime in Iraq or reforming Medicare. A government in security crisis may use the media to cover the eyes of the public regarding security of the country, for example the fake airport report, may be when there are casualties resulting from war. Television and Global Insecurity Researchers have conducted researches on the impact of televisions on violence. According to Farwell, television producers and journalists have an ambitious goal of framing terrorist acts of violence in the minds of a digital media generation (Farwell, 2012). Propaganda in the media brings out a sense of injustice and grievance that aims at replacing governments and brings an effect to social change. Televisions and other digital media provide channels communicating images that amplify the impact of violence. Image Location https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQAKigKE0gbOX5gvGG0cbuozU0yz10V81b9lnlSkrPN5EYTVqIl The propaganda that exists in the media is a great challenge to the fight against violence in the world because it acts as an operating concept strategically planned against the opponent in the fight. As opposed to gone days where there used to be control over messages that the public received, nowadays there are carefully constructed ways of passing information to the public. This is because of the impact information technology puts in the media and users. According to the researcher, television promotes violence and puts the viewers in a condition that makes them instantly respond to the motivation in their lives (Farwell, 2012). The researcher also argues that constant exposure to images of violence creates a store that acts as memory, which when shared by a group demonstrators may generate violent acts. Indeed, insecurity being a global issue has a notable relationship with digital media and the ever-rising information technology. Digital Media, Behavior Change and impact on National Security Researches done show the influence media has on behavior especially to children at their tender age. According to Montagnese, digital media has influenced behavior change on people in developed and developing countries whereby programs on televisions or contributions or posts in social media with violent content incite threaten national security. For example social media sites like those of the Jihadi post pictures showing their groups in Facebook and other media like Twitter, an activity that may trigger violence and insecurity to nations. A British report conducted in 2008 noted ways in which terrorists could use Twitter and become a threat to national security (Montagnese, 2011). First, they could use it to track and update movement of troops an exercise that would paralyze strategies laid down by the troops. Secondly, a cyber terrorist can hack a soldier’s account and communicate with other soldiers. This becomes a threat to national security given that the terrorist can use the communication to access information on plans to fight insecurity. Media use becomes a relative of issues concerning global insecurity in that groups engaging in terrorism, criminality, war, protest movements and inappropriate use by civil servants use it to voice their concerns throughout nations. For example revolutionary forces update maps of Syria bombings every 24 hours over the media (Ungerer, 2012). Such updates raise concerns over security in many nations and this may result to violent acts. Image Location: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTpIwHlqIqRPxWrwaHDZyVGLP2rDTUxuXQnXCt2v4dcP4kaudjBmA Countering unethical use of digital media in National Security Given that internet is a quickly growing technology, terrorist can use it to pose a threat to national security. It becomes a government’s responsibility to ensure proper use of the media to prevent insecurity threats. The governments can do this through understanding signs or dangerous activities against state security by terrorists or violent groups so as to mitigate consequences of attacks. They should also identify any trends in the media that seem to threaten national security. Conclusion The traditional purpose of media in a free society was to inform however, nowadays the purpose is not really to inform, but also involves strategizing on violent activities. The media acts as a platform for voicing concerns over national and global issues. In governments fighting terrorism for example, they use the media to personify their information on casualties resulting from may be an attack so as to cover their injustice. In situations terrorists use the media to counter strategies laid down by their opponents. This shows the impact of media on national security and how it becomes hard to curb insecurity. According to this work, issues concerning national security relate very much to media because digital media contributes very much to ways of curbing insecurity and also contributes to increased insecurity. References Farwell, J. (2012). Survival: Global Politics and Strategy. Retrieved on September 25, 2013 from http://www.iiss.org/en/publications/survival/sections/2012-23ab/survival--global-politics-and-strategy-october-november-2012-fda3/54-5-12-farwell-re-d1cc Menten, A. (2013). Five Ways to Use Technology and Digital Media for Global Learning. Retrieved on September 25, 2013 from http://asiasociety.org/education/resources-schools/professional-learning/five-ways-use-technology-and-digital-media-global- Montagnese A. (2011). ‘Impact Of Social Media On National Security’, Research Paper STEPI –AE-U-3, Centro Militare di Strategic, p1. Retrieved on September 25, 2013 from https://www.google.co.ke/search?q=Montagnese+A,+‘+Impact+Of+Social+Media+On+National+Security+’,+Research+Paper+2011+STEPI+–AE-U-3,+Centro+Militare+di+Strategic,+p1&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr&ei=r9dDUrWYG4eBtAa_zIEg Shah, A. (2006). The Violent image: Insurgent Propaganda and the New Revolutionaries. Retrieved on September 25, 2013 from http://www.globalissues.org/article/532/media-manipulation Ungerer C. (2012). Social media and national security', ASPI Strategic Policy Form. Retrieved on September 25, 2013 from http://hip5ter.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/02/PIC881_BrennanR_43099521_Power_Point.pdf. Read More