Blog 5

Digital divide is a common term used today that has been used more times than it has been around, coined by the Clinton administration in the mid 1990’s. According to www.webopedia.com, digital divide means: “a term used to describe the discrepancy between people who have access to and the resources to use new information and communication tools, such as the Internet, and people who do not have the resources and access to the technology.” Not only is the digital divide described as the gap between those who have access versus those who do not, the term is also classified as the people who possess the technological skills and knowledge and those who don’t.

Digital divide is not only a national concern, but it has become a global one as well. With limited access to technology in the United States and countries worldwide; economic, social and educational concerns are brought to the surface. “Computers and the Internet have become basic tools determining the pace of economic and social growth. We are witnessing the establishment of an information-based civilization, where the future of the society depends on the speed with which knowledge is developed and used” (Wielinska). Citizens who are “technologically-challenged”, in the sense that they have no access or knowledge of technology, can be left in the dark. Today, there are several ways to stop this and people and major companies are attempting in doing so.
One of the ways that the closing of the gap is being approached is the introduction of the OLPC, or One Laptop Per Child, which is selling and distributing low-priced laptops to those in need; mainly children in Africa. Another such campaign in bridging the digital divide is the 50x15 initiative. 50x15 is a goal set out by AMD to have 50 percent of the world’s population accessible to the internet by 2015. By the use of the OLPC distributed laptops as well as others techniques, such as PIC (Personal Internet Communicator), AMD is hoping they can accomplish this task. Another program aiding in the demise of digital divide is the VIA pc-1 initiative. VIA has designed several products that are affordable and reliable in order to allow those currently without access to the internet to gain access on one of their own computers. For example, VIA has introduced the VIA pc-1 notebook, VIA pc-1 mini-PC and the VIA pc-1 power saving PC, which is “a scalable PC system optimized for emerging markets, providing robust desktop performance and a rich digital media experience at accessible price points” (via.com).
With large corporations contributing their ideas and products, the digital divide can be closed one day. Continuing supply of Information and Communication Technology may someday lead to a world where everyone is connected and no one person or country is left out.

Blog 4

Countless amounts of information can be found on the Internet today. Whether you are part of a religious group, activists group or just like model airplanes; there is a website for you. In searching for websites to your liking, you can locate and come in contact others who have the same interests. In connecting and communicating with people involved in the same curiosities, the term group polarization comes into play. Group polarization refers to something very simple: After deliberation people are likely to move toward a more extreme point in the direction to which the group's members were originally inclined (fathom.lib.uchicago.edu).
This idea shows that people who discuss and believe in certain topics or belong to groups will mostly oppose others and “self-segregate” themselves. In doing so, their ideas will become even stronger than before due to frequent discussions with people on the same level and who share same views. For example, those who may be against the war in Iraq, might discuss with others the reasons why we should withdraw and shun out the thoughts of those who don’t; in doing this their standpoints will become stronger. Another example is “after discussion, citizens of France become more critical of the United States and its intentions with respect to economic aid (Brown, 224).”
This idea of group polarization may also lead to fragmentation over the Internet. With people disregarding contrary views, they are separating themselves even further from anyone who believes in opposing views. This avoidance can easily be done by filtering one’s choices, like choosing not to visit certain websites or read a certain newspaper. By filtering choices, a person can simply find something that pertains to their thoughts and views, lacking any opposition if they please.
Another term pops up as a result to group polarization and fragmentation and that is Cyber cascades. The fact that information can be posted anywhere, at anytime and about anything, all with a push of a button, leads to the question of verifiability of the content; “in which information, whether true or false, spreads like wildfire”( web.ebscohost.com). With the over abundance of information being distributed daily, it can be hard to decipher reality from fraud.
The information on the Internet is endless and it allows for people to search whenever they would like and for whatever suites their needs. The effects of all these coming together can create a society with falsified information being spread throughout. With limited exposure to various sides of an argument or a topic, it may lead to even more uncooperative behavior and confusion.

Blog 3

E-Mail- abbreviation of the term electronic mail, the method of transmitting data, text files, digital photos, or audio and video files from one computer to another over an intranet or the internet. (Encarta.com). Ever since its beginnings in the early 1960’s with Arpanet to its further development in the 1980’s and 90’s, e-mail as been a way for people to interact and stay connected with one another.
One question that arises with the use of e-mail today is whether or not e-mail should become universal; like that of telephone and postal services. Of course with every question asked, more questions are stirred. Like what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a universal e-mail? Would it be beneficial or not to the United states?
Creating a universal access to e-mail would entail allowing all people across the United States some form of access to e-mail as they do now with telephone or postal service. “The goal of achieving universal access has two main sub goals: (1) achieving interconnectivity among separate e-mail systems and (2) widespread accessibility of individuals to some e- mail system” (RAND).
On the beneficiary side, with the country under total access of e-mail, it would allow all citizens to connect with one another in a much easier form. For example, e-mail is asynchronous in that the sender may send an e-mail to the recipient who is not available at the time, but the mail will stay in the inbox until it has been read. E-mail also allows for a number of images, sound or other file attachments to be sent along with an unlimited amount of space for a typed message in text. E-mail may also be sent out to one person or to masses of people, with no real limit, allowing communication to become faster and broader.
Universal access to e-mail can also have its cons as well. With millions of people accessing and utilizing e-mail, “flooding” of inboxes may occur. It is also hard to allow every person in America access to e-mail for not all can afford it. It would be difficult to reach out to the poor and uninformed.
With the introduction of universal access to e-mail to the nation, it may open up a whole new era of communication in many forms. For example, it may create a new feeling and sense of community and people may become more involved in the political end of America. In order to appeal to the entire nation, universal e-mail must evolve either through government support or evolve on its own.

Blog 2

Technology today has broadened itself in the category of communications drastically. With the improvement of cell phones and PC’s, people can stay in contact with one another in seconds. One group of people in particular that employ the use of text messaging or email and web pages are smart mobs. These smart mobs are citizens who are all connected to each other through some wireless form to plot or meet at a certain point and time. Smart mobs have become so predominant and powerful in their ways that they have shown they can bring down an entire government without a casualty, as seen by the downfall of President Joseph Estrada of the Philippines. “…the Philippines shares in the paradox of being awash in the latest technologies of communication such as the cell phone” says Professor Vicente Rafael at the University of California, San Diego. During President Estrada’s downfall, mass text messages were sent out to thousands of people who then mobilized in the streets in protest, ending in his defeat.
Today, it is very easy to acquire a device to join a network. Cell phones alone can generate several ways to communicate, like text messaging which can be sent out individually or to masses of people at once, such as in the Philippines case above. Also there are PDA’s and palm pilots which allow people to check the Internet for updates or any other form of information they may need at the moment. In 2005, civil unrest broke out in France, resulting in a series of riots and destruction. Involving the use of cell phone text messaging and e-mail, rioters kept in touch by telling and warning each other of police actions and movement as well as where to be and when. Another example is in 2005, where a 16-year-old boy in South Korea sent a text message to a friend stating “Gwanghwamun station. 6:00”. Word spread easily and a swarm of 400 students stood and protested on the school’s tough college entry exams. “I don't think the rally would have been big if we didn't have cell phones," says Im Soon-jae, one of the organizers, "We would not have been able to spread the information about this as quickly."(usatoday.com)
This leads to the question of how will these smart mobs form together and communicate in the near future? With technology already favoring their side, it’s hard to imagine better and faster ways to communicate. These varieties of communicating through cell phones and Internet are the new way for activists of all types to bind together, with just a push of a few buttons.

Electronic Media

Due to rapid advancements in media technology, politics today are able to be heard and seen in various ways. Citizens and canidates voices are able to be heard, seen or a have combination of both in much easier ways through electronic media. This creates the so-called electronic democracy that we have today. Before computers, in order for someone's voice to be heard it would have to be through the radio, television or in paper form. With the introduction of the computer and internet, people are able to access websites that inform them on certain political events and news. People can obtain this information faster, more frequently and in more detail than ever before. Candidates can now keep in contact with their voters through these websites via email or forums. Another positive look at the internet is up-to-date articles that can be found instantly with one click of a button, as opposed to a newspaper that is news from the day before.
The same goes for radio and television, breaking news can be outputted to the world immediately. On radio, people can receive political news and even call in to voice on a topic. This allows for opinions and views to be discussed openly to a large audience. This idea of political radio talk shows has migrated to television as well. Having a talk show on television allows the people to obtain the same information they do listening to radio, only with a visual tacked on to enhance the experience. Being able to see what you are hearing can really make an immense change on a person’s decision or view. Just take the Richard Nixon versus John F. Kennedy debate of 1960, when John F. Kennedy’s healthy appearance against a pale, sickly appearing Richard Nixon heavily aided in a win for Kennedy.
In the world of media today, accessibility goes far beyond convenient. With radio allowing voices to be heard, television presenting a visual aid to that voice and the internet combining all these forms of media into a direct all-access place, electronic media has become a necessity for democracy.