Staying Connected

This assignment to me is actually the most interesting that we have done so far. I think the readings were great and brought up some really strong points about how technological our society is today and how people truly stress that being involved in the internet and social media is key in being able to keep up with society. The Internet is apart of most lives of the public today as it is a way to learn about information fast, quick and easy. The Internet not only is a place to learn about our world but has become a way that people can connect with one another. I too believe that you can still be well informed without being connected to the Internet. There are still other forms of media such as television and print (newspapers, magazines etc) but from research I have done over the past year types of print such as writing and newspapers will soon be lost due to the Internet. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal can be found online and I know from my own experiences that people go to the Internet everyday to read the newspaper and learn about what is happening in our world. Everyday I go onto the Internet in the morning and go straight to CNN to learn about the top headlines of the day and all I have to do is click a button and I’m there. I do believe though that the Internet and social media is something prominent among younger generations. I know that both my mom and dad have a hard time navigating the Internet and constantly ask me questions about how to use facebook and other social media tools. In terms of accessibility the Internet is the best that you can get right now which is why I believe that the Internet should be considered a public right. People constantly speak about how our society and world is technologically advanced and that this will only continue and for this reason I believe the Internet needs to be a public right. The Internet has become a huge part of our society and culture and to deny people access to the Internet is like denying someone freedom of speech. The Internet is apart of the public sphere in politics, business and leisure and sooner or later everyone will need to become accustomed to it.

Technology and the “digital divide” is truly creating a divide between the computer literate and those who aren’t. In the “who’s not online” article they give reasons to why people may not be online or linked into the Internet. Reasons such as it being too expensive or dangerous are valid reasons in my opinion and this article proved that. For elder people many times expenses become a big deal and such things like the Internet are things they don’t believe they need. Older generations grew up with televisions and newspapers and in earlier years these technologies were evolving and becoming better and better. Stubborn may be the right word as to why they don’t want to become involved with the Internet but also they may be stuck in their ways. The Internet being dangerous is not only valid but very true. The Internet is a very dangerous arena where things can happen if you don’t take the right precautions. There have been ongoing instances of problems with facebook and myspace where young children have been taken advantage of and there have even been some deaths associated with online stalking etc. With every type of technology come dangers and things to be careful of and the Internet is just another added to the list. The Internet has become a way of life for many people and is a main part of our culture and society today. Being connected to the Internet has become not only an issue in the workplace but also a necessity in order to get certain jobs. I believe that the Internet should be a public right for many of these reasons but most importantly because it gives people another avenue to speak their voice and offers a chance for freedom of speech.