The Internet Effects on Society

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Evgeny Morozov sees the internet as a dangerous tool and one that is viewed with overbearing excitement by Western leaders in particular. They view the internet as the ultimate ‘cheat sheet’ to help the West finally defeat the authoritarian regimes they have been faced with. A cheap and easy way to spread ideas and especially propaganda. The West are still incredibly eager to promote cyberspace democracy. The US have made one major speech about freedom under Obama’s administration and that was Clinton’s speech on internet freedom in 2010. This shows a will and up front eagerness from Western superpowers to use and promote themselves as internet savvy and they are very willing to present the internet as the cornerstone of democracy. He also argues that while commentators, such as Clay Shirky, believe that the internet has helped dissolve the barriers of nationalism Morozov disagrees and argues that the march towards democracy for such nations as Belarus, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan may actually be going the other and that these authoritarian regimes were actually helped by the revolutions and sweeping the sweeping commercialism of McDonalds, Starbucks and others claiming these revolutions helped these countries "patch their own vulnerabilities". This proves that the internet is not a 'quickie' easy solution to worldwide democracy. (Morozov, 2012)

The idea that the West is far more proficient at using the internet than the 'bad guys' in the Middle East is outdated and quite frankly wrong. Al-Qaeda has proved to be just as proficient at using the internet as the Western global superpowers. A realization that left a bad taste in the mouths of those as Morozov puts it "treated technology as democracy's best friend" This goes to show the naivety of those, in the West particularly, who see the internet as a global peacemaker,a tool for good and one that will eventually bring worldwide democracy. In fact the internet has only served to advance the work of groups such as Al Qaeda and, of recent times, ISIS. (Morozov, 2012)

The last point to be made is one revolving around data collection by big corporations and the notion that all your data is collected, reviewed and stored. Kevin Buzzard, a British mathematician, notes the speed of the shift of censorship from television to the internet. "The economic model employed so successfully by television was transferred to the internet industry'. This suggests that the rise of the internet was quickly capitalized on and monitored by a vast amount of data companies around the world. A world constantly being viewed through the lens of a CCTV camera and where the information of anyone even slightly well known can be brought up in seconds, from birthday to hobbies to anything you want to know. Although an extreme comparison one can't help but be reminded of George Orwell's '1984'. The ultimate example of a dystopian world. (Buzzard, 2003) (Orwell, 1949)

Synthesis

While it is true that the internet is a distraction and can lead to hours of unproductive work, the advancements in every single field due to the internet is undeniable. The internet is a vast ocean of useless information but the useful information is there as well if you look hard enough. While it may be true that there has been an increase in violent and sexual attacks against women since the consumption of pornography became widespread and readily accessible, the rise in the figures have been minimal. The UK have also taken the step of introducing new safety laws against porn, particularly with a view to protecting children. Many more countries may follow suit.

Nicholas Carr puts forward that the internet has moulded our brains and that it is making us less intelligent, Don Tapscott produces some pretty compelling figures to help battle this argument. proving that IQ points have risen every decade since 1945. Including the two decades that incorporate the widespread use of the internet.

Morozov's argument that the internet has in fact regressed democracy in some parts of the world is a compelling one and an argument that is hard to argue with when the current states of certain post-Soviet nations as well as a handful of Middle Eastern ones are taken into account. Western leaders treatment of the internet as a' magic cure' for all the democratic problems faced by these nations is problematic. The eagerness to embrace the internet and rely so heavily on it is a worrying trend adopted by powerful leaders worldwide. While countries such as Azerbaijan and Belarus may have adopted a Western style of life, with blue jeans and McDonalds, this does not mean they are any closer to democracy. With authoritarian leaders in those countries using the internet as an oppressive device. (Morozov, 2012)

The utopian side is clearly where most arguments fall when discussing the internet and its values. The arguments put forward on both sides have their values and their downfalls. The internet is an incredible invention. One that has allowed some cultures to flourish but also some to regress. The disposal of any piece of information we want at the touch of our fingers is mind blowing and an idea that even thirty years ago would have been too outlandish too consider. The internet has shrunk the world and extended people's boundaries there is no doubt about that, whether that is good or a bad thing.

Bibliography

Buzzard,K. (2003) 'Net Ratings : Defining a new medium by the old, measuring internet audiences'. New Media. New York. Routledge.

Carr,N. (2010) 'The Shallows'. New York. W.W Norton and Company.

Layden, M. (2012). 'Pornography and Violence - The Social Cost of Pornography. Available at: http://www.socialcostsofpornography.com/Layden_Pornography_and_Violence.pdf [Accessed 25 Mar.2015]

McChesney,R. (2013) Digital Disconnect : How Capitalism is Turning the Internet Against Democracy. New York. The New Press.

Morozov,E. (2012) The Net Delusion : How not to Liberate the World. London. Penguin Books.

Orwell,G. (1949) 1984. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Tapscott,D. (2009) Grown up Digital. New York. McGraw-Hill.

Riegel,R. (2013) "Technology gap is widening as older people shun internet', Irish Independent, 22 February. Available at : http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/technology-gap-is-widening-as-older-people-shun-internet-29087116.html.[Accessed 12 Dec.2015]