Week 9

This week we are exploring the dark-side of the internet, as we analyse online activism in regards to various counter cultures. Web 2.0 has allowed people to communicate on a global level, allowing more weight behind protests, combining like-minded people to communicate and also allowing more sinister means of expressing views through hacking into corporate system.

I found Crabtree’s article quite interesting, with the implications and opportunities the internet brings to the political sphere. This new term E-democracy seems like the direction political debates are taking as Crabtree outlines the various political channels web 2.0 harbours. This includes Civic-hacking, allowing like minded people to come together, increasing political engagement.

But there is also a more sinister approach to online activism, with online hacking circles such as Anonymous and Lulzsec, who voice their values, opinions and political agendas through the hacking of various corporate and political websites. Such is stated by a twitter post from an Anonymous member: “(Anonymous) is against oppressive regimes, corruption, police brutality, government cover-ups, the arrest and murder of people in any nation.”

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/anonymous-hack-the-syrian-ministry-of-defence/story-e6frfro0-1226111177907#ixzz1cJRmvaAz

But with these implications also comes opportunity. My generation particularly has become complacent with democracy, uninterested with politics and overall over not having their opinions and voices heard. This can be changes through global communications allowed through the internet and web 2.0. It can give a two-way means of communicating to political leaders, as more and more adopt social media outlets such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter. The internet can be revolutionise the political landscape of Australia, and I personally think this has not been exploited or even accepted by Politian’s or political leaders as their lack of adaption technology means they are falling behind the 8-ball. A perfect example would be an essay I wrote for my politics class earlier in my degree, on social media and its implications for democracy and political change. The viewpoint was looked at with great cynicism and overall apathy as he was unable to see the implications that a person interested in digital communications could see, disregarding any relevance to my claims. This cynicism will soon change as more democratic and political change sparks through the use of social media and internet applications.