I read a sad piece in the paper about a 19 year old who shot and killed 10 people.
This killer had read some racist material on line and became convinced that he should kill people not of the white race.
It was once very difficult to reach people with a message unless you were a leader of some kind or had buckets of money to advertise.
The internet has made it easy to set up sites that can reach millions. The internet allows us to easily make up a site that is attractive and eye catching. People start to read something and it sounds reasonable to them. They bungle into more of the same message very easily by clicking on a few links.
People use the facilities of the internet to easily communicate what ever idea comes to their head. Many times it can be racist , violent or to an extreme political view.
So is it time to put some control on internet sites that allow people easy access to millions ?
As bloggers, most of us enjoy communicating about interests we have. I reach around 160 people with my own expertise to set up a blog. With more skill and interest someone can easily set something up that catches more fish.
So is it time to create some regulations that prevent the extreme and dangerous messages from being easily publicized? This would be far from easy. The free speech people would have their say. The bad guys would not like to see their rights taken away.
Where will this end?
You tube is currently in some kind of litigation where they are being asked to take responsibility for the content on the site. It has the potential to change the internet
ReplyDeleteI hope that there are some changes.
DeleteIt's a tough topic. I don't think it will stop until the world has some better leaders, or at least in the U.S. I like Biden, but the irrational politicians are sending us backwards. Until role models behave and think sensibly, I don't thing others will rein in their horrid thoughts and behaviors. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteYou're right that pathetic political leaders set an example for the scumbags.
DeleteTo add to Linda’s comment, we also need to become better parents too.
DeleteProblem is... there are parents out there who are spreading more of their evil down to their children. This is a very difficult time we're living in. Democracy is at threat. We can't even get better gun control in the U.S.
DeleteVery sad what’s going on. The internet is a joy to me and yet to others, in this context, can be a curse.
ReplyDeleteTo me lies are wrong and people should have to pay for propagating them.
DeleteWhat a sad story, and I'm sure you're right about the effects of the internet on such misguided people. On the other hand modern communications have also made it possible for millions of pounds to be raised for Syria/Turkey in just a few days.
ReplyDeleteThere certainly is a positive side and value for social media.
DeleteA challenging predicament.
ReplyDeleteI get the free speech element. But freedom comes with responsibilities.
And the bad guys have no idea what responsibility means
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if these disturbed people did not have easy access to guns. There are good and bad things about the internet, people must have common sense after reading anything on the internet. The truth can be twisted in many ways. Take care, have a wonderful weekend.
The innocent and uninformed can be influenced by the scumbags.
DeleteThe irony of the internet is that we have access to information like never before, but we use it ignore the good information to ignorantly buttress our biases.
ReplyDeleteI'm guilty of this sin.
DeleteI have no idea how to deal with this problem, but it is definitely a real concern. I love blogging and like that I can choose to read whoever I want and skip the others,
ReplyDeleteThere's too much money in all this crap to clean it up. Some of can pick and choose. Others not so much.
DeleteThere will always be people that find a way to voice radical opinions. I doubt it can be stopped. From what I see Parents need to get off their devices and interact with their children:)
ReplyDeleteI'm on a street that leads to a school. It's heart breaking to see a Mom on her phone walking two little kids to school.
DeleteIt's scary, Red, but I don't know the solution.
ReplyDeleteIt's a case of the horse out of the barn. We tested this thing and found out it doesn't work very well so what do we do?
DeleteMost people have confirmation bias and look to stories to confirm what they believe.
ReplyDeleteI'm guilty on this one.
DeleteIt's a complicated problem to find a solution that people agree too.
ReplyDeleteWe don't seem to be a very agreeable society these days.
DeleteBig problems can come from something so innocent! Scary!
ReplyDeleteThat's what happened in this case. the bad guys saw how they could use the system.
DeleteIt would help if some "news" agents would try honest, non-biased reporting. I am thinking specifically of Fox cable, probably the most watch "news" we have in the US.
ReplyDeleteThere's too much money in this issue. They've found that they can get along with lies.
DeleteAnd now with AI at the forefront of news about internet dangers, we have something else to worry about.
ReplyDeleteHow to resolve this. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteYou know very well what's needed to solve this but it's impossible to put that solution in place.
DeleteWhere will this end? It’s a great question, Red. The way I see it, the right to free speech has been embroiled in controversy, over the years, more often than many of our other rights. The introduction of the internet has created a whole new way for folks to speak their mind and influence large groups of people. It’s difficult for me to see how this can be regulated fairly. I can imagine governments coming down with some regulations to ban hate speech. The next problem will be how to define “hate speech”. Have a good weekend up there in Red Deer. John
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not believe that it needs to be so difficult. If someone is touting violence, they have lost the right to free speech. I looked at the face of that 19 year old, and I just couldn't believe that he could have done such a hateful thing. He looks like a child. Albeit a very dangerous one.
ReplyDeletethis is shocking news specially if you are talking about the six year old child dear Red .Horrible! i am speechless
ReplyDeletei agree with Debby here that once bad people are trying to spread wrong message and as obvious that can tease other to shoot other ,they loose their right for free speech
What a sad story. And what a waste of a young life. I don't know where this will end but I see more and more of this hatred being spread around. It's very disturbing.
ReplyDelete