The Internet has become, for many, a window of opportunity, a chance to deliver your views and gain a response. We live in a country of free speech but we still must be careful not to offend anyone, so the Internet acts as a haven for discussion on ANYTHING you want.
Of course it is still possible to offend people by posting strong views however, by hiding who you are and only showing what your beliefs are you are able to speak freely.
Most forums encourage users to speak freely and fairly, however, there are some cult websites which can be extreme.
I believe that everyone has the right to argue their views, but the Internet does allow people to sometimes go over the top. For those people who use the Internet sensibly it can be an opening and a chance to be themselves, as perhaps they are unable to be themselves and say what they feel in their real lives.
Many forums allow people to express their views with people who have similar views, allowing them to feel part of a group of like-minded people. Is there anything wrong with that? Perhaps not, however this brings us back to previous points, how do you know who you are discussing your views with? Can anyone on the Internet be trusted, if so, who?
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Forums do still have an element of control on them which reflects real life, they do not always allow unlimited freedom, like what some of the theorists say. Cara was looking at a newspaper online forum and it said 'moderator has removed the comment'.So, if anything is too controversial it gets removed. This questions the idea of the internet allowing people to have complete freedom of speech!
ReplyDeleteI think it’s just a matter of which Forums you go on. Cara has found that one which is moderated which personally i think is a good thing. However, i have seen ones before, where people have said 'what they want' and it has been allowed to be published, like Hannah says opening up the possibility to offend or abuse someone. I don't know if the internet will ever be able to b moderated 'properly' as everyone’s boundaries to what is 'acceptable' are different. I believe it’s always go to be up to the person themselves how they use it.
ReplyDeletei agree with kerry's comment about the internet will never be able to be 'moderated' properly. this is because the internet is just too big to control. although i do feel that the internet is good to express peoples views and opinions, forums can sometimes be abused in the fact that their views and opinions can either be sexually abusive, racist or even discuss illegal things. this is where the line needs to be drawn.
ReplyDeletehow do you think 'we' could draw the line? Do you think we could just shut them down, or would that cause to many problems? I know for myself it wouldn't alter anything. However i understand it would affect quite a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteLots of intersting thoughts being expressed here again - and yes indeed, as with much of what is on the web, there are extremes and then bits in between. To add to these debates that you are having, let's see the unit readings and lecture materials being brought in so that your blogs and discussions show that they are informed by your learning from the unit as well as your own experiences. Remember also that you can arm yourself for debate by rummaging around on the net to find examples for use in discssion.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work Hannah!