Posts Tagged: change

My view of WikiLeaks has changed.  Before, I thought it was a sketchy site that was only interested in digging up controversy and saw Julian Assange, the face of WikiLeaks, as a dangerous trouble maker.  I was unclear about their sources and how they acquired the information that has put the spotlight on this site in recently.  Basically, I saw WikiLeaks as a site that was trying to take down journalism.

Clearly, WikiLeaks is a whistle blowing site.  But isn’t that what the purpose of the Internet was intended for?  Although it is a complex phenomenon, WikiLeaks represents the evolution of the Internet and journalism.  It has become a platform that citizens are comfortable using to spread global issues and concerns while protecting themselves and remaining anonymous.  Journalism as an institute has come under fire in terms of trustworthiness in recent years and WikiLeaks is the global community response.  It is the modern day example of a true “free press”

WikiLeaks gives me the sense that we now have the power to watch “big brother” instead of the other way around.  Thanks to technology, people are gaining more of an individual voice and have media platforms that suit their needs to get their message out.  Never before have ordinary citizens had the opportunity to change the world in such a dynamic way.  It has given power to the people that was normally reserved for media agenda setters.  A topic may not be deemed newsworthy by a team of journalists, but they will sooner or later pick up on the story if there is enough buzz in the global digital community.

So will WikiLeaks take the place of journalism?  I think not.  A site like WikiLeaks can’t solve all of the world’s problems or cover everything that may need special attention.  That’s why we have investigative reporters.  Journalism can adopt some of the techniques and tricks that WikiLeaks has pioneered in relation to digital information gathering.  However, if journalism wants to compete they need to get on the bandwagon quickly and not let this opportunity pass them by yet again.  Journalism can survive if it embraces the new digital culture of the new millennium.

Where as I thought WikiLeaks was scum only a few days ago, now I have respect for the site and it’s mission.  This proves that we need to better understand our evolving surroundings and advancing tools to better serve our communities.  WikiLeaks took this step and created controversy along the way.  But we have to keep in mind that times are changing and radical ideas are bound to shake our everyday lives simply because they’re different than what we’re used to from the past.  We may not agree with them at first because it alters our view of what is deemed correct.  As we evolve our technology and information outlets, we need to evolve our minds and societies as a direct correlation.  Otherwise we will never see progress.

As media and technologies have advanced over the centuries, society has changed with it.  Has law kept up with all the changes and adapted adequately?

This was the final question I posed in my framing post earlier this week in regards to the sociocultural contest of interactive media.  After reading and discussing in class, I think it is apparent that society has outgrown the law and it needs to be rethought.  Digital mediums have brought copyright, sharing, and the idea of professional versus amateur to a whole new level.  Just as some societies may be afraid to adopt the new technologies in our world today, I believe our world is afraid to adapt new laws to accommodate these new technologies.  It’s time for a change and we can no longer fit our new world into our old regulation model.

The younger generation makes this issue apparent through their disregard for pirating consequences.  Although everyone knows that downloading copyrighted material is illegal and there is big talk that those who take part in these activities will be punished, we don’t hear of a lot of follow through action.  It’s common knowledge that a lot of younger people’s digital content was not paid for and that sharing this content with others is expected among friends.

So where are the repercussions.  If we don’t enforce the rules in this realm, how will other laws concerning wrongdoing be viewed?  Will vandalism and shoplifting also been seen as a something that can be brushed away or not taken seriously?  How will this shape the younger generation and what implications will this behavior and attitude toward law have on society in the future when they run the world?  Frankly, I am a little nervous to see how today’s kids will turn out.

I am also concerned about the trend toward free content online.  Unfortunately, since the Internet’s beginnings back in the late 1960s it was always deemed as and intended to be  a free medium.  However, I don’t believe people know how quickly the Internet would explode onto the societal scene and be integrated so deeply into our modern lives.  Although everyone today is accustomed to the idea of free content online, I think this needs to change.  Just because we are used to something doesn’t mean it is the best method.

As mentioned early, it seems that the world is afraid to change laws to adapt to the new digital lives we live.  Everyone demands free, free, free, free.  But in reality this isn’t possible or fair.  Internet users want a socialist society online but shutter at the idea in real life.  For some people, the Internet is their main world and their main source of income and societal development.  We can not treat the online world as if it is not connected to real lives.