The mainstreaming of the internet can probably be compared to the falling of the great Berlin wall wherein, in a figurative way, it also brought down the barriers of communication that stood all over the globe. Through the internet, one can express or share his views from the comforts of his/her office in New York to, let’s say, someone from the Fiji islands. Traditional means of spreading information through print and broadcast media have been overtaken by this fast and technologically sound method; and with the advent of the blog, this has further deepend its hold on the opinionated individual.
However, there is a dark side to it all. As democracy has to contend with hearing the voices and opinions of a thousand individuals, so does the internet. With such freedom, there also comes much arrogance and self-vested interests. Persons who only wish to air their side without having to concern themselves with the validity of their statements and how it would affect others thrive in the freedom which the internet provides them, and in countries where legislation does not even remotely come close to having the arm of the law reach cyberspace, they are having the time of their lives. This is a sad reality that we will have to accept for the next couple of years until a form of regulation is put into place that will oversee how sites and blogs conduct themselves.
Until then, we only have ourselves to rely on. As a respected and well loved character once said, “with great powers comes great responsibility.” Be responsible website owners and bloogers. Think before posting.
Geek Eye v3.0 