Review on Cyber Balkanization

Curbing of Cyber Balkanization with Media Literacy

Based on the Cyber Balkanization article, I really do believe that the internet and its lack of control can lead to cyber balkanization and furthermore a less integrated society. The concept of the cyber world being so customized and selective especially in the information we want to receive, can lead to negative impacts like cyber balkanization.

But I want to highlight that maybe there is a possibility that these people might not dive into cyber balkanization if they were more media literate. In a world where media is pervasive and invasive, people need to think critically about what they see, hear and read. People need to understand how to use the media and understand that subconsciously the media uses us too.

Media literacy refers to the understanding of media and the use of it as a source of information, entertainment, enrichment, growth, empowerment and most importantly communication. With good media literacy, sophisticated citizens can emerge and the purpose of the government for freeing the internet to expose people to a variety of information and enhance their intellectual minds will not go to waste.

Literacy in the early days of the 1500 century was more of a way of understanding a higher level of communication. It was divided into 2 levels, reading and writing where people could decipher texts and copy words in writing as well as sign their name. These were called the semi literates. Then there were the higher level of people who can actually compose their own writing instead of copying them.

It was a long process where literacy was very selective among the people, where mostly the privilege or the aristocrats were the fortunate one to obtain training. In 1774, a law was passed by Maria Therese of Austria obliging all children aged six and above to be sent to school to enhance their literacy in reading and writing. By the 1800, literacy was central to the economic, cultural and social life. So those who want to succeed had to learn to be literate.

Now in the more modern age of the 21^st century where the internet has become a big part of our lives, media literacy especially in the context of the internet should be thought to everyone that uses it. It should start at a young age to prevent it from being a permanent habit once people get older. The learning of media literacy should be integrated in school curriculum as way for the young to fully develop an understanding towards the use and effects of the media to our minds and our lives.

With statistics showing that young people age 13-34 spend an average of 16.7 hours a week online, the amount of information and visuals they are exposed to is limitless which can potentially turn our society of media users into a balkanized one.  But with good media literacy skills, this can be decrease and the media especially the internet can be used as a hub of endless information to broaden the minds our country, pushing us to be better citizens.

What people do on the internet

Media literacy should be greatly highlighted and taught, especially to the young  so that the freedom of the internet that was awarded to our country would not go to waste. Let the citizen utilize the media or more specifically the internet to greater use and create a more integrated and intellectual society.

Reference:

• Wan, G. (2006) Integrating Media Literacy into the Curriculum http://www.cehs.ohio.edu/facultystaff/wang1/portfolio/13.pdf
• Weaver, J. (2012.06.24) Teen Tune Out TV, Log On Instead    http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3078614/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/teens-tune-out-tv-log-instead/#.UYiJ7LVqnLl
• Houston, R. (2011) Literacy http://www.ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/backgrounds/literacy/robert-a-houston-literacy

Online Journalism Should Be Controlled

In a world where everything needs to be fast and at your fingertips, the receiving of information has to arrive at a fleeting and efficient pace. Since the rise of online journalism, that motion has become an every day thing. Now we have the power and resources to receive information at anywhere and anytime. 

This can be easily said to be a major advantage in online journalism. Internet is the new frontier for Journalists. The FCC report said that from 2005 to 2009 visitors to newspaper websites increased dramatically from 43.7 million unique monthly visitors to 70million and from 1.6 million page views to 3 billion page views.

But with the abundance of advantages for online journalism, it does not sway from some detriment. In Malaysia, the internet is a free place to express critique and give opinions. As much freedom as we have, it all comes with a price.

Yes expressing one thoughts and giving out opinions online can be a beautiful thing because it can enhance the sharing of ideas and allows us to broaden our minds beyond the norm. Especially in a state where some people believe that news given by the mainstream media is restricted to what the government wants to say. We cannot blame them, journalist are just doing their job and their job depends on their pay master.

Not all news are political and biased. Variety is still present in newspapers and news broadcast. But since the internet boom, people want to get information from all sides and not just the pay masters. They want to hear what other common people have to say and what other sides have to express.

But nowadays internet has to the tendency to use the speed and worldwide reach to spread negative things. Opinions without reason or source are posted and read by many which has the potential to wrongly influence people. Without a solid gatekeeper or editor, anything can go in the cyber space, even false information. Example are like the accusations of the first lady Datin Rosmah being associated with the death of Altantuya as reported by Raja Petra Kamarudin. 

Hatred ranting and photo imposing are some of the negative things that come out on the unfiltered internet space of Malaysia. The bigger problem is the effects from reading those hate tainted articles. It is like the butterfly effect where many little occurrences can have big consequences. When people start to believe false information which can lead to negative emotions like anger and dislike, who knows what these people are capable of doing? Rallies, killings, bombings and other unimaginable horrid things can happen. 

With that I believe the internet should be on some way or another, controlled. But this is not done to obstruct the sharing of information but to hinder from potential social outrage. Information should spread and shared for good purposes of expanding minds and bringing people together, not the other way around. 

Therefore there should be a law or a rule of a gatekeeper to make sure the things that are written in the internet do not blow up to be something big and bad. Outcomes of exposing the truth is unpredictable but at least the telling of the truth should be done in an ethical and peaceful way. 

Snatch Thieves Caught on Tape

SHAH ALAM, 22 APRIL- Snatch thieves were caught by a CCTV camera in the act of bag snatching behind a pastry shop yesterday evening.

The snatch thieves rampant has been going around the Shah Alam area for the past 3 weeks but this is the first time the deviants have been caught on tape.

The snatch thieves who have yet to be identified were seen fleeing the scene in a blue super bike.

According to the victim, Siti Rozita Karim , 21 and Hanim Hassan, 22, who are both UiTM students, they were on thier way to a nearby bus stop when Rozita's bag was snatched from the back.

"We had no clue that we were being followed and before we know it, my bag was grabbed from me. I was lucky that I did not trip or fall from the snatching," said Rozita.

According to Rozita also, this is the first time she fell victim of a snatch thief after living at the section seven  commercial area for nearly 2 years.

"Something like this has never happened to me before, this was my first. Even though I'm sad that belongings were taken, I take this as a lesson to be more careful and vigilant the next time," she added.

However both girls were not injured during the assault but were shaken up after the incident.

They both filed a police report at the nearby section seven police station, being the third victim of the snatch thief rampant in the area, the other first two happened at section eight and nine respectively.

ACP Shahrom Nizam from the section seven police station advise everyone in Shah Alam to stay alert and keep belongings close in hand. #

Siti Rozita Karim, left and Hanim Hassan.