A Place of Safety: General Talk » The puritanisation of the internet

Show: Today's Messages :: Show Polls :: Message Navigator

The puritanisation of the internet [message #59917]

Wed, 02 December 2009 17:08

saben

On fire!

Registered: May 2003
Messages: 1537

10 years ago I felt like the internet was a refuge. Somewhere I could be anonymous. Somewhere I could be safe. Somewhere I could pick a handle and talk about anything.

Chat rooms were common, as were forums and funny names as email addresses. Anonymity was one of the internet's prize virtues.

But web 2.0 doesn't offer that. Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. It feels so open. I feel vulnerable. I feel guarded online and no longer want to reveal too much of myself. I feel like search engines are TOO good at finding references to me, my thoughts and my opinions.

The internet still might have seedy corners, but I don't see them. It feels the internet is now public and the puritan culture affecting the western world in real life has spread online. Online used to be different and utilised mainly by geeks or those different from the norm. I feel like it's changed. It's no longer a place to meet people from all over the world as it is a convenient way to stay in touch with people from the "real world", the local world.

Has the internet changed or have my perceptions just changed? Is the internet more safe? Less safe? More private? Less private?

Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway

		The puritanisation of the internet By: saben on Wed, 02 December 2009 17:08
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: timmy on Wed, 02 December 2009 17:25
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: saben on Wed, 02 December 2009 17:42
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: timmy on Wed, 02 December 2009 18:07
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: saben on Wed, 02 December 2009 19:31
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: timmy on Wed, 02 December 2009 20:32
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: acam on Wed, 02 December 2009 23:54
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: NW on Thu, 03 December 2009 10:14
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: Macky on Thu, 03 December 2009 14:15
		"Only miscreants worry about net privacy" - Google CEO By: timmy on Thu, 10 December 2009 15:00
		Re: The puritanisation of the internet By: Deeej on Thu, 10 December 2009 19:02

Previous Topic:	The Radical Right has hit a brand new low.
Next Topic:	This "christian" world is very odd

Goto Forum:

[

]

We support Ukraine — Мы поддерживаем Украину — Ми підтримуємо Україну

We support the Palestinian people in their struggle against oppression