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Honey, I’ve shrunk the world
New age info-technology has changed the way we communicate, and the way we look a the world and people, but often we don’t realise it, 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 peek at the vast garden 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- this is truly a revolution, in every sense of the word. And we have the World Wide Web to thank for it.
The Old Web was a way for scientists to share research, the new Web is something very different. It makes people from different regions come together, agree and disagree, help each other for no ulterior motive, and create a new community of international amicability. 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, it would make her feel as if they were almost in the room with her. A famous published 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 with the blink of an eye. Quite something, isn’t it? And the best part is, this method of communication is very cost-effective, the Chat users saving many a rupee on international call charges.
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, their day’s activities, and how it affected them- while at the same time blossoming into wonderful writers who one day, could perhaps give Rowling competition! Meet ‘Tygr Tygr Burning Bright’. That’s his Blogger display name, at least. 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 get much access to my music, so when I get song recommendations from my friends, it’s YouTube that I turn to. I can listen to the songs, and watch the videos for free! It’s been a blessing in disguise.” Truly, it has. Listen to 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., having bought YouTube in October 2006, for US$ 1.65 billion in Google stock.
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-ten 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 lack of 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 nineteen-year-old Soumya Rajat Mukherjee, a die-hard Wikipedia fan, “I turn to Wikipedia for all questions- and I’ve never been disappointed. The fact that it’s ‘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. So the website is vast, and has articles and information from people coming from all walks of life. No wonder it has practically become a cult now.” Wikipedia, or ‘Uncle Wiki’ as Barua affectionately calls it, lives true to the open source phenomenon- it has been developed by a conglomeration of people- truly a labour of love, if I may call it that.
Now, 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 own addresses, they can also post others’! “It’s frightening!” says Tina, who discovered her own address posted on Google Earth a few months back. “I erased it immediately, but who knows- 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- remember 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 have become the boon of thousands of people who 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, this boon modern technology has given us can far outstrip the disadvantages anytime.
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