Internet Debate Questions

1. Based on this debate and previous readings What Definition of democracy do you feel is most fitting for us to use in-conjunction our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies?

The best fitting definition of democracy is “political or social equality.” This definition is most fitting because on the internet all people have social equality.  Everyone who is on the internet is equal and has the capability to openly express their thoughts or ideas.  Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, believes in the power of the people. A democracy is also based on the power of the people.  Wikipedia is a pure democracy in itself.  People create the encyclopedic entries together and then others review and edit parts to make it better which is essentially what a democracy is.   

2. How does your answer to #1 fit into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies, and what are some tangible examples of this? Do you feel this is an important issue that needs to be addressed further?

In a democracy people have the freedom of speech.  In social networks for example anyone can create an account and put whatever name, gender, interests, etc. that they want.  I do not think this needs to be addressed further.  Every person should know that people can essentially say whatever they want online.  People need to distinguish between reputable and false or incorrect sources on their own. 


3. Define and describe the phenomenon of the Media echo-chamber as described in the Internet Debates. What are some examples of this silo effect, and do you believe it is an issue that needs to be addressed? Why or Why not?

The Media echo-chamber is the idea that a specific piece of information such as an idea or belief could be blown up in a chamber or space.  An example of media echo-chamber was featured on the website www.SourceWatch.org.  This example was during the 2000 elections when the media echo chamber claimed Democratic Party presidential candidate Al Gore had pretended he invented the Internet when this was not factual and came from an unreliable source.  I do think that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.  Every news company, especially news companies’ internet sites, want to be the first to report a particular piece of news.  In this attempt to be the first to report, many times they will not back check their sources or other people’s sources to confirm their authenticity

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4. What are some ways that expertise and authority could be (or is being) enforced on the internet? Who would be behind these forces? Why do you believe are they are needed or not needed?

Certain websites search engines include ways to search only what it considers reputable or scholarly sources.  “Google Scholar” is a good example of this.  Google scholar is a part of the google search engine that “provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.” A way that expertise and authority could be somewhat loosely enforced is through some kind of organization starting a rating tool. This could rate certain sites based on its reputability.  In the future this could make it so that if a website wanted a good rating it would have to be reputable.  I do not think any authority is needed on the internet.  The internet was made to have no limitations including authority.     


6. Give a through example of an adaptation or improvement made by a of a social, political, or cultural group, government, business or individual to keep up with changing nature of the internet.

Dominos Pizza created an online service in which you can order food for delivery or pickup.  Since Dominos created this more and more take-out and delivery restaurants have made similar ways to order food on the internet.  The internet is changing the nature of humanity in that people continue to find more ways to use it.  Dominos was smart in implementing the online ordering service to keep up with the idea that people are using the internet more and more.

7. Is democracy threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet?

I do not believe that democracy is threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet.  All people should know that the internet is unchecked and that there is no authority on the internet.  If the internet was checked or censored it would take away from the idea of freedom of speech which is one of the fundamental principles of a democracy.  Anyone can go on the internet and write whatever they want or “publish” whatever they want because they have the freedom of speech on the democratic internet.