With the increase in communications technology, will users forgo conventional methods of obtaining information, like newspapers, in order to support their own way of thinking? In obtaining information themselves, it allows them to create their own world where nothing goes against their own believes.
One has the right to choose what news story they want to read in the newspaper. They can even choose the news story they want to watch on television. It’s what is great about the United States of America. The system of democracy gives us the freedom of choice. It gives us the freedom of how we take in news and what news we take in.
With the help of technology, we rely less and less on the conventional methods to get the news of the day. There are many young adults who have never even held a newspaper, much less read one. A Survey conducted by the Los Angeles Time and the Bloomberg business network found that only nine percent of teens 12 to 17 read daily newspapers (pressgazette.co.uk). By reading a newspaper or watching a newscast, one doesn’t have a say in content. The stories they want to know about are included with stories they have no knowledge of or find uninteresting.
With the Internet, one can control the information taken in and create their own world geared towards their own ideas and ways of thinking. Cass Sunstein refers to this as the “Daily Me”. By creating their own blogs, they can now share their world with others. On their blogs they can post their feelings, as well as links and information that support their ideas and/or theories.
Blogs created may not necessarily have a negative effect. Good things can come out of same-interest blogs and groups on the web. However, the user may be missing out on other things in life they might find interesting. Causes or other groups could exist that they could contribute their ideas.
Even though everybody has the capability to surround themselves with things they like or make them feel good, it’s not realistic. It’s like eating dinner when you were young. You might have something you like on your plate, like pizza. Then, your mom would ruin it by adding broccoli. You might not like broccoli, but in the long run it’s good for you.
Sources:
- Boycott the Daily Me!
. 4, June 2001. The University of Chicago Law School. www.law.uchicago.edu/news/sunstein-internet.html
- US Young Continue to Shun Newspapers Online Press Gazette
. 17, August 2006. Online Press Gazette
- Internet Create Advocates Out of Everyday Computer Users
. 25, December 2005.
FoxNews.com http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179723,00.html
Sunstein, Cass. “Demnocracy and Filtering.”
- Communications of the ACM
47.12 December 2004.
