Web 2.0

How does the internet provide an enormous challenge for regulators?

Those who set regulations will not be able to keep up with the rate by which we can spread information. An example of this is the London Riots and the use of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) which people used in order to send viral messages (Broadcasts) to spread the details of the time and place of a riot. Regulators could not keep up with this information as by the time that they had blocked the BBM Service, many riots had taken place and a lot of damage had been caused. This service was also encoded so authorities could not track the origin of these messages which created a challenge for them.

How does the internet provide a post-modern vision of identity?

The internet has become a dominant factor in youth’s lives and is inescapable. The internet constructs a reality and controls the mind of those who use it.  Through this mind control and construction of reality, the post-modern vision can create moral panic in society. An example of this is the way in which youths are represented by the media, using negative, biased words to describe them, creating moral panic in society that youths are out of control and dangerous.

‘This brazen Facebook user posted a picture of himself with suspected stolen goods’

o   Brazen –Describes user with biased word

o   Use of Facebook- Careless

o   Viral

‘The Tottenham riots were a grim, reminder, if any were needed, of the level of anarchy that exists barely below the surface in same of our worst urban estates.’

o   Warning: Young People

o   Categorises those from estates

o   Lower Class

This quote is creating moral panic within society by basically telling people that even when things are going well and nice, underneath there is always anarchy which can break out at any time. This creates fear for them even if nothing is wrong. It also directs the blame for this anarchy at those of the lower-working class who live on estates in particular.

How does wed 2.0 present a change for rioters since the Brixton Riots?

The riots in Brixton began with the Police not helping a young black male quick enough and the public intervened and began to riot. This was then spread through word of mouth and more people then joined in. However with the London Riots, web 2.0 allowed the information of the riots to be spread virally, meaning that they spread a lot quicker and across a much bigger distance. There weren’t riots just in one area like with the Brixton riots but instead they were spread across the whole of London and in some cases outside of London. Both of these events have the fact that it was a black male dying which caused them in common.

How has online press affected us in today’s society?

The online press has created a lot of prejudice in society. As a result of this prejudice, moral panic has been generated.

How does it present an area of control for today’s society?

How must we regulate ourselves as young people due to web 2.0? How is it a form of taking our identity back?