The Internet’s roots can be traced back to 1962 (“Internet History” n.d.). With the Internet, people are provided with the power to search vast amounts of information and have the ability to participate and engage conversation in many forums. The Internet allows people from different cities and countries and with different backgrounds to connect and communicate in a digital world. As opposed to sitting in a room with a hardwired connection, people can now go mobile with the Internet. Laptops and smartphones allow the Internet to fit in backpacks and pockets. The question remains – does the Internet threaten democracy or help it? With information comes misinformation, and the answer isn’t simply yes or no. However, more times than not, the Internet aids democracy by creating a citizen who’s more aware of a variety of issues.
Counterclaims argue the Internet is an agency serving the breakdown of democracy (Jacobs, n.d.), contains mass amounts of misinformation, and has the ability to spread wrong information quickly (“Does the Internet Help or Hurt Democracy?”, 2010). Regardless of the quantity of information available online, claims argue that the quality of information can’t be trusted. Arguments have gone as far as saying that misinformation and propaganda and conspiracy theories are being brought into classrooms (Bartlett & Miller, 2011).
Forty-seven percent of teachers surveyed stated they encountered disputes with schoolwork and lessons containing inaccurate information from the Internet (Bartlett & Miller, 2011). Forty-eight percent of teachers surveyed mentioned having debates about conspiracy theories in class (Bartlett & Miller, 2011).
With regards to the quality of information available on the Internet, it’s unfair to ...
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Does the Internet Help or Hurt Democracy? [Video file]. (2010, June 1). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media-jan-june10-miller_06-01/ Internet History. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2014, from http://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/ Jacobs, J. (n.d.). Democracy and the Internet. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from http://www.abc.net.au/ola/citizen/interdemoc/democ.htm Saletan, W. (2011, July 18). Spring Time for Twitter: Is the Internet driving the revolutions of the Arab Spring? Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2011/07/springtime_for_ twitter.html
Wright, R. (n.d.). This House Believes the Internet Brings More Harm than Good.
Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.youthforum.idebate.org/debatabase/
debates/science-technology/house-believes-internet-brings-more-harm-good
The author is this article is Kalev Leetaru, he is known as an American internet entrepreneur and academic. He is also a contributor to Foreign Policy, where he discusses current political events worldwide. He was appointed adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown university which is ranked #6 internationally and is an extremely well respected university in Washington DC.
In this essay I will critique and analyze the article “The Daily We” by author Cass Sunstein. I will look specifically at Sunstein’s claim that although the internet has been commonly viewed as a blessing to our world and democracy, the joy that the internet has brought democracy must be monitored with a keen eye as the ability to “filter” what we see provides a viable threat as it welcomes more extreme views and group polarization. As I analyze Sunstein’s claim, I will provide a new point of view to reader on how the internet has done much the opposite as it has served as an outlet for limitless sources and a variety of viewpoints through social media in today’s world. I will also add voices of the other critics in which I believe are relevant
There are over 2,405,518,376 internet users on a global scale. More than 50% of the world have a form of Internet censorship, and of those countries China, North Korea, Iran, and Vietnam heavily restrict its citizens. This recent topic has reached new heights in the US with the growing number of access to internet. More and more people are debating whether the internet should be censored. Internet censorship is the control or suppression of what can be accessed, published, or viewed on the internet. This would affect everyone and me. I specifically use the internet to read about controversial view and other information that gets ignored by the media or isn’t circulated anymore. Most of these sites would fall in the black list of censoring. A small percentage of users post conspicuous posts, graphic material, and infringing copyright links. Although inappropriate it shouldn’t demand internet censorship, because it goes against the individual rights of the people. Freedom of speech and press will be restricted by the government. To a point where people would be scared to express themselves, or spread information for they might be punished. Even if their opinion is erroneous and maleficent, it’s still that person’s opinion and he’s entitled to it. Same can be said for the common good everyone should be able to voice their opinions without censorship anywhere. Everyone should also have the access to any information on the internet. If anyone is offended by what is said on the internet, then they can remember to not visit the webpage next time and hold themselves accountable. This paper will examine the issue of internet censorship constituting a violation to the American people individual rights, common good, and the constitution.
In conclusion, Carr and Gladwell’s essays have proven that the internet positive effects are outweighed by its negative effects. Carr has found he is unable to finish a full text anymore or concentrate. He thinks that the internet has taken our natural intelligence and turned it into artificial intelligence. Gladwell discusses how nowadays, social activism doesn’t have the same risk or impact as former revolutions such as the Civil Rights Movement. The internet is mostly based on weak ties based among people who do not truly know each other and would not risk their lives for their
In today’s society, free speech is a right guaranteed to every American in the U.S., but not all countries give their citizens that right. As computer and internet technology has grown, so too has the number of violations against free speech around the world. Some of these include censorship of the press by the government, punishment for speaking against the government, and punishment for voicing unpopular opinions. The computer and internet technology of the world is often used in these suppressions of free speech.
Howard, P. N., & Hussain, M. M. (2011). The role of digital media. Journal of Democracy, 22(3), 35-
In his essay, “Picking Nits on the Net,” John Oughton reminds Internet users that information on the Net does not have a guarantee of authenticity, so it must be carefully evaluated. Oughton gives some examples and also provides some useful advice on evaluating information on the Internet. Oughton’s writing is well supported by reasonable arguments, informative and very useful, and the examples that he uses are commonly encountered by most Internet users; however, sometimes he understates the advantages of valuable information on the Net.
The whole world is connected by technology. Over time, technology has advanced from payphones and typewriters to cellphones and computers. The progression from a gray-screened cellular device to an advanced smartphone allows easier accessibility. So the question is whether or not the Internet or online technology is affecting the way we read long texts. In my opinion, I agree with Nicholas Carr, who states that "our hyperactive online habits are damaging the mental faculties we need to process and understand lengthy textual information.”
For many political commentators, electronic voting will be the saviour of Canadian democracy as it will dramatically increase participation particularly among the Canadian youth. Since programs such as Netscape Navigator created a user-friendly interface making it easier for all to use, the internet has been one of this centuries’ most valued, innovative man-made creations. Canadians are online, performing daily tasks on a screen. Be it banking, making appointments, shopping, more and more Canadians are linked in. Canada continues to be one of the most ‘wired’ countries in the world with nearly 87 per cent of Canadian households connected to the internet. Canada ranks 16th globally in terms of Internet penetration in 2013. This is up from
In today’s world, the media almost dominates society. No matter a station’s political affiliation or the conglomerates’ beliefs, a vast variety of topics are covered almost daily. Whether it’s breaking news, feature stories, or heart-warming cartoons, the audience is almost certain to tune into any news station and learn about what is going on in the world, and e-democracy falls under that category. When it comes to anything that concerns the government, there is going to be media coverage, especially if it involves scandal or court cases. Stories vary in importance and depth, but overall they give us insight into certain topics. CNN’s Dan Caterinicchia offered the people a look at what E-Democracy is and how a man from Minnesota lobbied to make e-democracy easier by using an e-mailing list as well as an online public forum. According to Caterinicchia (1999), Minnesota e-democracy Chairman, Steven Clift, believes that such a practice would make E-Democracy an...
People want the freedom and empowerment to use technology, while being protected against malicious actions. Protection starts with awareness and education, the government needs to begin empirical goals around previous campaign successes. President Obama noted, “The government is bringing about unprecedented transparency and liability for Americans to take part in their democracy.” (Obama, 2009).
The Internet provides a gateway for an individual to speak freely and anonymously without being targeted to what he or she said. With this said, one of the biggest issues concerning the Internet today is freedom of speech. The issue of free speech on the Internet has been a topic of discussion around the world within the past years. It is a unique communication medium and is powerful than the traditional media[2]. Because the Internet can not be compared equally to other mediums of communication, it deserves the utmost freedom of speech protection from the government. The restriction of speech on the Internet takes away from individual's rights and freedom from experiencing the Internet's benefits and uses. Information found on the Internet is endless and boundless and this poses the question, "should the government be allowed to regulate the information and content being transmitted or posted online?"
Today, society is affected by the many advances in technology. These advances affect almost every person in the world. One of the prevalent advances in technology was the invention and mass use of the Internet. Today more than ever, people around the world use the Internet to support their personal and business tasks on a daily basis. The Internet is a portal into vast amounts of information concerning almost every aspect of life including education, business, politics, entertainment, social networking, and world security. (idebate.com) Although the Internet has become a key resource in developing the world, the mass use of Internet has highlighted a major problem, privacy and the protection of individual, corporate, and even government security . The argument over whether or not the Internet should be controlled by the government has developed into a controversial issue in almost every country in the world.
While the liberty of speech on Internet strengthens the democratization, it also provides political dissidents with channels and arranges to undermine. McLaughlin (2007) reveals that in Middle East, the Internet offers non-state dissident actors a potentially potent tool to accomplish their political objectives. Consequently, without the nation-imposed constraint...
Internet has been acknowledged as one of the most efficient way to collect and reflect public opinions, for that people with different classes and races can express their opinions with no obstacles in virtual network spaces. People can speak out whatever they want just by typing on the keyboard within a second. Dr. Heather Savigny mentions in her article “Public Opinion, Political Communication and the Internet” that “The expansion of the internet as a new method of communication provides a potential challenge to the primacy of the traditional media and political parties as formers of public opinion” (1). People realized that the power of internet public opinion in the focus on social issues can be used as a weapon to affect government decision-makings. However, does public opinion only brings positive effects?