Net gains and losses

Cyber technology has changed the way we communicate, and the way we look at the world and people, says Brinda Dasgupta

Robin George Collingwood, the famous British historian, once wrote, "Every new generation must rewrite history in its own way." He perhaps had not much of an idea of how much he would be proved correct, more than 50 years after his death. For if you look at the millions of people blogging furiously in cyberspace, if you glance at the staggering number of Facebook profiles, and if you take a peek at the vast source of knowledge, namely Wikipedia, you shall realise that we are rewriting history in our own way.

We are making the world a much smaller place, sharing even the most insignificant details of our lives online, and we are shattering all the boundaries of time and space — truly, a revolution in every sense of the word. And we have the World Wide Web to thank for it.

The web makes people from different regions come together, agree and disagree, help each other for no ulterior motive. Indeed, we are sharing everything, right from poems to pictures, from online gifts to book reviews. Yes, the Internet has become the source for practically anything. And it has made the world a tiny place. For instance, a girl studying in London can switch on her webcam and talk to her parents sitting in Delhi. A writer could give tips to aspiring writers all over the world through ‘chat’. And people sitting as far apart as Geneva and Melbourne could share details about themselves and talk about anything under the sun, and their messages would be transmitted in a blink. And the best part is, this method of communication is very cost-effective.

Talent shows are all very well, but something’s got to be said for all the amateur writers out there, each blogging furiously about tiny details of their lives, their opinions and their day’s activities. ‘Tygr Tygr Burning Bright’, says a blogger’s display name. His blog talks about his experiences at the university, his cooking, his girlfriend, how it is impossible to create a folder called ‘CON’ on the computer, and other such random banter. Having won awards for his blog, and with over 125 blog posts to his credit, Tygr is just the tip of the iceberg. There are millions of other such people making up what we now call the ‘blogosphere’! Amateur poets even put up their poems online, inviting comments and criticism from others.

Of course, the same goes for some wannabe filmmakers, who post their short films on YouTube, the massive site that caters to all sorts of videos — music, movies, home clips, and countless others. Lionel, an aspiring film-maker, says, "I have posted a few short movies that I’ve directed myself, and the comments pouring in make me feel that I’m not alone. I really value the comments and criticism of anyone watching my work." Of course, YouTube, apart from being a medium for showcasing different sorts of talent, is also a site where anyone wanting to watch practically about anything would go.

Abhijan Barua, a student of journalism at University of Glamorgan in Wales, says, "Here at college, I don’t have much access to music, so when I get song recommendations from my friends, it’s YouTube that I turn to. I can listen to songs, and watch videos for free! It’s been a blessing in disguise." Truly, it has. Look at the statistics. Users upload 65,000 new videos to the site everyday. A couple of years ago, they watched 10 million videos a day, now it’s gone up to 100 million. The numbers speak for themselves. Even big companies are catching on to this video phenomenon — the most notable being Google Inc, which bought YouTube in October 2006, for $1.65 billion.

If YouTube is the haven for video-watchers, then Wikipedia is its equivalent when it comes to information. With a staggering number of over 2,154,000 articles, it ranks among the top 10 most visited websites worldwide, being the fastest and most popular source of information available online. The operation of Wikipedia is based on a Wiki engine, and the website runs primarily on donations, both monetary and literary, from anonymous philanthropists dedicated to making the Internet a friendlier space. However, critics have questioned its reliability, citing that its open nature can be taken advantage of, for promoting incorrect information, and even posting of abuse. However, Wikipedia articles are very closely monitored, and mistakes are corrected almost immediately, whereas mistakes in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica can only be corrected in its next edition.

Says 19-year-old Soumya Rajat Mukherjee, a die-hard Wikipedia fan, "I turn to Wikipedia for all questions — and I’ve never been disappointed. Its ‘open-source’ has been criticised, but I think that’s partly the reason why Wikipedia has achieved such status, precisely because anyone and everyone can contribute articles."

Next, meet Joyeeta, a political science a student. She is a loyal user of both Orkut and Facebook, and regularly updates her profile, keeps in touch with friends in distant places, and posts pictures of herself to let everyone know how she is doing. "These social networking sites are wonderful. They help us keep in touch with friends who live far away, Orkut with its scrapbooks ensures that we are always in touch, and Facebook has so many fun applications to experiment with," she exults. But she also admits, "Of course, there are downsides to everything. Some sites have low levels of privacy — anyone and everyone can view your pictures, and know all about your lives. Hence, it’s essential to keep limits on the information you post online."

True, with the rise of cyber crime, one can never be too careful. One such danger is Google Earth, where anyone can post his or her address on an online map. Not only can they post their addresses, they can also post others’ addresses. "It’s frightening!" says Tina, who discovered her own address posted on Google Earth a few months back. "I erased it immediately, but it could be posted again, and I can’t keep on monitoring the site, can I?"

Most people have shockingly little idea of the dangers online. "Every time you put up your picture, be aware that other users might copy it, and morph it into something sleazy — perhaps even put it on pornographic websites. Refrain from giving out personal information online — it could be used for unlawful purposes,’’ Joyeeta warns. And this goes for all the users of social networking sites as well. "Never ever accept random friend requests from unknown users — it’s dangerous."

Another downside is the amount of pirated stuff available — music, movies, you name it. Depriving the rightful companies of their royalties, P2P sharing networks like LimeWire and Torrent are used by thousands of people to download stuff that they do not want to spend money on, thereby being guilty of copyright infringement. While this Internet revolution has been in a boon in more ways than one, it is also true that it has its shortcomings. However, with users exercising a little discretion, restraint, and concern for others, the advantages this technology offers can far outstrip the disadvantages. — TWF