Social Networks & Privacy
The Internet has for a considerable significant period been the true test of ‘freedom of speech.’ But at what price to many innocent individuals? Sometimes famous personalities are the objects of Internet video stings that are expeditiously propagated across the world by method of sites like YouTube, whose hyperlinks are easily promoted on social network profiles such as MySpace and Facebook. But just as often, celebrities are made by the broadcasting of private videos of common individuals, which are then electronically disseminated and posted and thus transmitted like wildfire to each end of the world. The notoriety which comes from lots of these tapes or photos being piped through so effortlessly can be deeply upsetting to the individuals who are victimized by their being spread. But who is to be called to account? an individual can’t be held accountable merely for passing onward an email or posting a public link to their Facebook profile.
The Internet and social networking sites are simply a more modern medium through which the spread of data has been made more accessible. As luck would have it, or fortunately, making every citizen with access to a computer a qualified reporter with the capacity to reach millions of audiences the world over. So it is not the social networks that are responsible for this betrayal of personal rights, but the community at large itself. Social culture flourishes on the spread of tattle and information sharing. As long as you are not the victim, you have no objections forwarding that humiliating video of a poor boy cavorting around his room making believe to be a resistance fighter from Star Wars (The young man is at present in therapy and has dropped out of on his education, on the off chance that you were wondering). Websites such as TMZ.com survive only thanks to human longing for tabloid trash and celebrity scandal.
In the same way, we must understand the Internet’s infinite possibility, and the nonviability of control over its content. In today’s times, one must be aware that anything they do could be broadcast within seconds. With digital cameras, mobiles with movie-making capability and instant availability of YouTube and Facebook, something you do could be passed around to your buddies and strangers alike as it is happening. We must redefine what is intimate and what is public, as it is no longer safe to take for granted that everything we do will stay within our control. Modern methods have a mind of its own, and the Internet is a prime example something that can easily slip away from its original use and obtain many more purposes as long as the multitudes encourage it.