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The Future of Cyberspace (r)

(written by iearn@iearn.org, 03/22/1996)

/* Written 12:06 PM  Feb  2, 1996 by coldspring in igc:iearn.tc */
I have indeed seen signs of prejudice AND hate mail over
the Internet.  I have, in fact, myself received some rather
"angry" mail.  However, hate mail and prejudice are not
things that the Internet should be faulted for.  In fact, the
Internet serves in a large way to dispel prejudice's ugly
face.  The ability to peacefully debate, as well as to change
one's own identity, enables one to not only debate regarding
prejudicial topics without risk, it also allows one to in
effect become "another person" online, assuming a "virtual
persona."  Prejudice and hate mail are largely present
outside of the Internet, and are terrible things which have
existed for many hundreds of years.  I find it preposterous
that the Internet would be faulted for the prejudicial
material that may or may not be propagated on it by its
users.  There is simply very little (if anything at all) that
can be done about this (as there is little that can be done
about it in "real life").

Pornography on the Internet is one of the most touchy
issues regarding "cyberspace."  I have heard of, seen, and
(by a mailing list mishap) been sent pornography via the
Internet.  Indeed, while I agree that 10 year olds should
not be able to see such material, the outright ban of its
presence on the Internet would be tyrannical.  Why is there
all this hubbub about pornography on the Internet, when it is
EASIER for a child to get pornographic material from a
deviant street vendor?  I actually attempted to find
pornography on the World Wide Web once, and found it very
difficult.  To top this off, there are many applications
available to parents to enact a censoring of the 'Net in
their household.  A company called SurfNet has an application
one can download from the Internet that blocks out any
Internet areas with "questionable material."  There is no
need for an all-encompassing ban of pornographic material on
the Internet when parents can take such measures.  With
something like SurfNet active, it would become nearly
impossible for a child to find pornography on the Internet.

In order to determine how the "abuse" of the Internet
should be handled, one must first define "abuse."  If we are
speaking of commercial software being transferred across the
Internet, there are many ways that companies can protect
their software from being "pirated," and some companies have
already taken this course (Microsoft, for example, has very
effectively protected their much sought after Windows 95).
As far as the propagation of pornography on the Internet, I
feel that more companies such as SurfNet should make their
protective applications more easily available to the public,
and that parents should be educated as to how to block
pornographic material on the 'Net if their child is online.
I don't think a ban should be enacted -- such would be
excessive.  Anything defined as "illegal" (child pornography)
should be the responsibility of the police.  If it is not
illegal, it should not be censored.  Different people have
different interests, and just because the masses deem some
interests as reprehensible is not a good basis for the
eradication of these interests.  Besides, if a pedophiliac
cannot get his feelings out through harmless activities on
the Internet, doesn't it seem logical that he would then
proceed to use the real world as an outlet?

I do feel that for the moment the Internet is far more
easily accessed by those in the middle and upper classes
(those with sufficient money).  I do not think this will be
the case in the future.  I believe Internet access will be
somewhat like the television, radio, telephone, toilets, and
all other household items now deemed "essential."  Each of
these, upon introduction, were only found in the houses of
the upper classes -- those who could afford them.  Now, it
would be rather difficult to find a house or school or
building without a toilet.  The Internet will eventually find
its way into the houses of the majority.

I feel the most important advantages of the Internet lay
in its effect on communication.  For now, the Internet
represents the largest single information resource in the
world.  This cannot be denied -- there is no library or vault
which contains more raw information than the Internet.
Furthermore, people can communicate in ways which could never
previously be achieved.  You can very easily have a
discussion (as we are) with multiple people from very
different backgrounds and lives, getting multiple opinions.
Furthermore, the Internet will one day evolve into the
"information superhighway."  This will revolutionalize life
the same way the telephone did.  I fully believe we will
begin to see these effects within the next decade.  Our lives
will undoubtedbly be made easier.

I don't believe school will ever be fully conducted in
cyberspace.  People who have the paranoid belief that schools
and libraries and supermarkets will someday be replaced by
the Internet are dead wrong.  I myself could never read a
book on a computer.  Furthermore, libraries serve as a social
group or gathering place -- something which simply can never
be replaced.  It's human nature!  And the Internet will never
(at least, not for a loooong time) be able to replace the
ability to squeeze a piece of fruit at a supermarket to
determine its worth.  As far as school, the only advantages I
can see in a "virtual cyberschool" would be the ability to
connect people from all over the world in the same classroom.
While this presents interesting ideas, the concept would fail
just as many utopian concepts fail -- it fails to account for
human nature.  People need to have some semblance of
tangibility in their classwork.  Furthermore, how would a
teacher ever be able to maintain control over a bunch of
random kids at computer screens?  Anyway, I believe that
eventually the Internet will play a crucial role in the
classroom, but that it will never replace the classroom.
I would wselcome any responses to anything I have said above,

B.C. Nelson - grade 12
Cold Spring Harbor, New York