The best thing about the internet is increased access to information, but
whether it proves to be a net positive depends on who controls access to the
internet. If you’re a citizen of China or Iran, you have good cause to worry
about government control of the internet. If you’re a US citizen, you can worry
about your political representatives’ political will to protect your access against
the interests of corporate monopolies. In the meantime, we can all worry about the wolves, lone or not, that gain access to our most deeply held account information.
It’s a traditional struggle here, there, and everywhere the internet extends its magical trust in the faith of humanity, and the FCC has given the industry a lot of leeway since birth. As we try to balance intellectual property and civil rights, how far will the pendulum swing?
It’s a traditional struggle here, there, and everywhere the internet extends its magical trust in the faith of humanity, and the FCC has given the industry a lot of leeway since birth. As we try to balance intellectual property and civil rights, how far will the pendulum swing?
It’s
not that I’m not a dedicated consumer. One of the most exciting days of my life
was when the shoe skates I’d ordered from the Sears catalog arrived in the
mail, after I’d allowed, as per the disclaimer on the order sheet, 6-8 weeks
for delivery. Who was I to complain? I was a nine-year-old looking up at the
moon Neil Armstrong had just taken his small step onto. Fast-forward to August
2014, and I had to wait two days with free delivery for my text books for this
course. Next thing we know, amazon.com will populate a delivery
drone with selections from a wish list I'd never actually considered actionable. I hope this all works out for the best, but I’m no card-carrying positivist.
The worry about "who controls access to the internet" is a big one. Use and abuse, honor and obligation. I like that this assignment encourages us to balance and discuss these.
ReplyDeleteCan I just start by saying that I really enjoy your writing style. I think it's interesting to consider who actually has the right to control the internet or access to it. Also, often times when we talk about technological advances like the internet we see it as an "other"; a faceless entity that effects the people it is an overlord for. However, I think it is important to remember that if something does "go wrong" that this circumstance is just a reflection of us, the contributors and benefactors of the internet. (Hopefully some of that made sense:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jason--back at ya! Yeah, it makes good sense that we have ourselves to thank or blame for whatever goes right or wrong with any kind of technology. It's an excellent point because it's when we feel incapable of influencing our world that we're most vulnerable to being led by the nose by those who feel entirely capable (and probably shouldn't).
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