Internet effects

The effects of the Internet on everyday life are probably more far reaching than we even realize. Whether it be on family life, community involvement, democracy or interpersonal relationships.  From reading the PEW summary of findings about the Internet and the democratic debate, the Internet appears to be an incredibly positive force when it comes to democracy.  The article stated that during the specified campaign that 40% of those who use the Internet used it to get political material,  this number was 50% higher than the previous campaign.  A main part of this study was to see if using the Internet only reinforced the political views that were already held  , the study shows that those who used the Internet were “exposed to more political arguments than non users”.  This shows that internet users get a broader range of opinions and information by using the internet.  A side of this that could be negative is that if you do not go to reputable sites you may be gaining unsavory and false information about a candidate that may give you incorrect assumptions, it should be everyone’s responsibility to try and make an effort to research what is opinion and false and what is verifiable. I find  this to be even more important to do after watching the Google documentary and understanding how the engine works and how it does, unfortunately,  have it’s flaws. The  PEW study also stated that 42% of Internet users had gotten news about the campaign online or through email.  Email is another area to be careful of when it comes to receiving facts about a political candidate.  Many emails I receive about the candidates are forwarded and tend to be slanderous and false and so it may be better to either not even read these or to keep in mind that they are probably for the most part false. The PEW article also states that the amount of users using the web to obtain political information is undoubtedly higher and therefore it is a positive effect, however an explanation for this may be that the users are just using the internet as a supplementary source of information, which means that the internet may not be attracting new people to look for information about the election, but perhaps just supplementing those who are already interested in it and already receive information via the television on the newspaper.  The article CyberDemocracy: Internet and the Public Sphere somewhat agrees with this, it states, “ The Internet is being understood as an extension of or substitution for existing institutions”.  I believe it is more of an extension when it comes to the political aspect, mainly because the Internet is seen as less dependable than other forms of media such as television or the newspaper.  That, and according to Cyber democracy “Internet is often accused of elitism”, which may be another reason why people tend to not use it as their primary source of information.  A positive effect may be the fact that the Internet provides a public sphere, which has been the fundamental part of a democracy for many years.  The public sphere has disappeared when one reads or watches TV alone, becasue there is no place to share opinions, thoughts and ideas, however on the internet this can be utilized again and achieved via chat rooms, message boards or even email.

I think the article that best describes the effect of the Internet on community involvement would be the article Smart Mobs: The Power of the Mobile Many, especially the section on Mobile Ad Hoc Social networks.  I think that these networks can be very positive and effective, as the article states, “organizing among people and their devices is done informally and on the fly”.  If you need to remind everyone that there is a meeting tonight or that they need to remember to bring a certain item it can be done with very little effort, but still have a big effect. This process is so effective because it is
“self organizing, fully decentralized, and highly dynamic”. This system is positive and highly beneficial in the case that there is a crisis or an unplanned event occurs. For instance, if there were a huge wreck it would be nice to have an update on your phone immediately that would alert you of the situation, rather than having to encounter the issue.  Another positive of the “mobile mobs” is that it allows everyone to participate in contributing information and news to society   “We are also engaging in a process of cultural reclamation, where the individual is put back into the loop of information production a dispension”.  It is like when the Virginia Tech shootings occurred; they played and replayed the video from a student’s camera phone of the sounds of the gunshots. Another example of the effect of Internet on community relations comes from the article buying into American idol. When a brand such a Harley Davidson or Apple begins to attract highly committed consumers they are able to move the brand online and this enforces social connections, by being able to communicate with others who enjoy the brand.  This in turn results in the consumers buying more of the product that brought them together in the first place.  “Individuals also place real weight on the judgment of their fellow community of consumption members”. In the article  “Worship at the Altar of Convergence”, the say “convergence represents a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information and make connections among dispersed media content” I think that these loyal customers (Harley Davidson or Apple) going to the internet to make connections could be seen as a form of that kind of convergence. I also think the article involving the Mac vs. PC, can also be taken into consideration here, when deciding whether you want to be a Mac or PC user, networks you are involved in can defintely be an influence when deciding which to choose.  As the article Which is Best: Mac or PC for a music computer says “there is no best, it is different for everyone”, I think your decision may lie in more with what your friends, family and others that you come into contact think and use, more than if you really weighed the positives and negatives.  A Negative aspect, which is touched on in the article Mobile Mobs, is the privacy concerns that come with having a Mobile Ad Hoc Social network.  By having these social networks you cannot always ensure who is in your network and who can contact you.

            The article that I felt related best to the effects of Internet on family life was the article “Buying into American Idol”.  This article shows that families are coming together more and more through the media, one person may be very involved in a television show and this causes the other members that may not be as invested in the show to come and watch and to spend quality time together, by doing this they become invested in the show and this gives advertisers a stronger connection.  Advertisers want to “extend across as many media as possible”, so that they can be the most profitable.  A show may start on television, but may be advertised and written about on the Internet and newspaper.   This affects not only family members, but can affect interpersonal relationships as well.   By having a common interest at work or something to talk about gives people a sense of belonging, such as when it comes to women and gossiping.  “Jones suggests that gossip is an important resource that women historically have used to connect their personal experiences within a larger sphere beyond their immediate domestic environment.” Shows such as American Idol and reality television are something most women can relate to and talk about.  Reality television allows viewers to “share their values, express outrage and learn about differences” and this can all be done via the Internet, whether it be on an instant messenger or message board or chat room. The negative side to this is that while families are coming together more via different media, which is considered to be a positive, is this replacing families coming together over dinner or by playing a game? And if that is so maybe the effect isn’t really isn’t as positive as it appears to be.