I feel that in this blog I’ve concentrated on a Western view of media, blogs and the internet, however an interview on Media Report from 4 September 2008 has provided me with an alternate viewpoint.Antony Funnell, host of the Media Report interviewed Antony Loewenstein, author of The blogging revolution which investigates the role of blogs in Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and China. Loewenstein argues that our Western perception of blogs in these countries doesn’t reflect the reality of the situation.
If I was to ask a group of people how they would describe, say, a blogger from China, most would probably imagine someone anti-regime using the power of the web to expose their situation and oppression to a world of readers. When Loewenstein went investigating he found that this image made up only a very small number of bloggers online. The fact of the matter is many citizens of these countries are actually quite happy with their lives and therefore quite supportive of their government. They are more anti-corruption focused than anti-government.
When the internet was established in these countries (with the exception of Cuba) governments did not actually view it as a threat, as a tool which could be used against them. The net was regarded as vital for economic development and the concept of blogging as a weapon was not identified until later.
In Cuba, however, the internet is virtually non-existent with the government wary of how it may be used against them if freely available. Loewenstein actually encountered students in Havana who were studying IT but had never accessed the net. It was forbidden. They could access a government regulated intranet, but that was all.
Another interesting point developed by Loewenstein relates to the ways governments in these six countries filter sites and police freedom of speech. Companies including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft assist the government with censorship. ‘So whereas in the West we view those companies as kind of these benevolent forces that help us find information, the fact is China has become like a laboratory for Western internet companies and security companies.’
Also challenged in Loewenstein’s book is the Western concept of the internet creating a level playing field for all in these countries. In many places online access is only available to the upper middle class, thereby not offering a true reflection of the community.
Clearly, the uses and applications of the internet vary greatly between countries, but it is remarkable to note how skewed and narrow the Western perception of the net in these countries is. And while it may seem strange to us that the majority of China is content with their situation, it demonstrates cultural diversity and demands acceptance. It would be great if the internet reflected these differences, and I think that we’re gradually seeing this occur.
So while I’ve sat and reflected on the evolution of media as a result of technology, other countries are still trying to get the majority of the population online. Until this happens, the internet will never be a true reflection of the global community and will never reach its potential to stimulate discourse and debate between different cultural backgrounds. An accessible online global community will allow us to gain greater understanding and acceptance of our world, the ultimate positive result of the development of the internet.Transcript: The blogging revolution
Image source: http://www.innovation.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0012/4530/WorldInternet.jpg, http://www.independentweekly.com.au/multimedia/images/full/349399.jpg
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