Y.O!

[Ed.’s notes: Issac, our Y.O! blogger, offers his view on the other edge of the Internet sword. He considers the loss of privacy that one may experience ala Edison Chen or Tammy from NYP.

Just like we saw with the above scandals, Joe Queenan writes that

“The theory was that the 24/7 surveillance wrought by camera phones, blogs, YouTube, Facebook and MySpace have turned all of us into public figures. Because everything we say or do is now apt to turn up on the Internet — potentially with humiliating results - - we must live our lives more judiciously, cognizant that in the new “transparent” age, there is nowhere to hide.”

Read Joe Queenan’s article - “World is Watching, No One Cares” here.]

This new form of mass media sublimed only in the 1990s and has since contributed much to globalisation, the transmission of information and services through the web.

As computers are used more rampant, the world observed an increasing growth of internet-savvy people.

This new media proffers as much harm as benefits. With the appearance of electronic mails and online messengers, people can communicate with much ease and be cognizant of the world around us.

However this double-edged tool has intimidated over several people’s lives. This is manifested with a reduction of privacy. Cell phones with pre-installed cameras can snap one’s actions and post them on the internet for the world to see and judge if it is to be discriminated or praised.

While many may find happiness in doing so, it is very upseting for the victim who might not be agreeable to the audacious act.

Hence, a conflict which may have complications is imminent. While critics argue “the weapons of transparency works only with people who worry about being embarrassed”, I beg to differ.

I believe the media (specifically internet) is a formidable, insurmountable tool that even education or brute force does not hold a candle to it. Words of condemn have far more impact than what people envisage. In conservative states, the hurling of insults at the legislative may put one in hot soup.

Also, research shows that words leave trails behind in one person’s subconscious. Hence, with just a few more collaborations and repeated statements from various sources, the reader may start to, unknowingly, believe in the words, whom he or she would find justifiable after placing them together. It would fall in place just like jigsaw pieces do. In the same way the rumour crystalises into a fact.

While journalist Joe Queenan may state presumptuously that Osama Bin Laden ignores this media, I refute this and make a strong stand that this is deeply flawed.

Let’s start with a general fact in life: As humans, we want to be accepted into the society, to assimilate with our friends and families. This improves our lives quality.

Survey generates result that shows Singaporeans treasure friends and families more than money. Immersed in the scorns of this media, I believe Osama Bin Laden is suffering pyschologically and emotionally, the media has amplified his ruthlessness and thereby society rejects him.

The uprising blogs, podcasts and friendsters accounts has also magnified the boldness of internet users. Posting unjudiciously on various webs may aid the derail of the user from a healthy thinking. One may mistake real life for the cyber world and blurt out vulgarities or assulting sentences and phrases more frequently. In addition to that, this media grooms teenagers, who are searching frantically for an identity, into pretentious people and might maturate into split personalities.

In conclusion, we all as humans, share the same fundamentals. It is not possible for us to ignore the cry of our inner sanctums when the internet turns against us. The exterior may be an ignorance but the perturbness bubbling inside may thrive. Therefore, this “transparency” is actually quite opaque and the way you act in the cyber realm may be carried over to reality, exposing the reckless messages you have posted online.

Contributed by Issac Lee, 15
Y.O! blogger 

Thoughts expressed in the post are those of the author. NLB does not necessarily share or endorse the views of contributing writers. Minimal editing has been done to present the contribution in its original form as much as possible.

Agree or disagree with Issac? Leave your comments or submit y.o!ur say to showteens@nlb.gov.sg

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