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The Internet. characteristics of Internet. immediacy – 24 hours a day ubiquity transparency: everything is available relevancy: directly relates to the individual. history of Internet. Cold War origins (Advanced Research Project Agency). Goal: decentralized communication network.
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characteristics of Internet • immediacy – 24 hours a day • ubiquity • transparency: everything is available • relevancy: directly relates to the individual.
history of Internet • Cold War origins (Advanced Research Project Agency). Goal: decentralized communication network. • ARPANET (1969-70s) • 1980s: Internet growth (PCs, rise of email)
current uses of Internet average user: 19 hours/month; 44% of homes; $36b in 2000. • electronic mail. • world wide web • threaded conference • on-line chat • streamed broadcasting
demographics recent changes: • more women than men • not just upscale users use by children: 42% cyber addiction
politics and the Internet • voter information • candidate campaigning, fund-raising, volunteer recruitment/mobilization, email
decency and Internet • Communications Decency Act (1996) • Reno v. ACLU, 1997 • state efforts limited • Child On Line Protection Act (CDA II) -- 1998 • filters • Loudon County, VA
recent legal developmentsMay 31,2002 Children’s Internet Protection Act -- 2000 • Requires public libraries receiving federal technology funds to install filters on their computers or risk losing aid • Federal judicial panel strikes down the law, saying that the filters “also block sites on politics, health, science and other topics that should not be suppressed.”
recent judicial panel Judicial panel finds: • Internet = open public forum. Any move to exclude content must be narrowly tailored • less restrictive ways than software filters to shield children from Internet porn (e.g., parental consent before using unfiltered computer; requiring parent to be present while child surfs)
Law allowed adults to ask that the filtering technology be turned off. • Judges: some library patrons might be embarrassed by havint to ask; some librarians may lack technical expertise to comply if asked.
Justice Department • Internet smut pervasive • these protections needed to protect children • law asks libraries to use same care in selecting online content as for books or magazines • libraries could turn down federal funding if they want unfiltered web access
American Library Association, ACLU • law would make it harder for people without home computers to get information on topics such as breast cancer or homosexuality – which are sometimes accidentally blocked by filters
dissent and Internet • difficulty of regulation • China • Korea • Saudi Arabia
hate groups • proliferation • efforts to curb (primarily abroad)
community and Internet • transcending space and time • common interests • value for non-mainstream groups
advertising and the Internet • arguments over advertising, commercial uses of web • growth of advertising, uncertainty about effectiveness • improved quality • security
future of the Internet • making other media obsolete? • further expansion, easier to use, convergence • more choices, customizing, direct links • tradeoffs: privacy, digital divide, free speech.
media reality, reality
why media reality not reality • external influences (many work to shape media content: politicians, advertisers, PR agents, pressure groups, etc.) • internal influences (media profit motive, production process, norms)
who gets left out? • over 35/40 • people of color • women how well can media serve the broader democracy?
what can you do? • media literacy: be a smart viewer/reader • make your voice and views heard