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New Media - Power to the people or threat to stability?

We are living in a world of email, blogs, instant messaging, mobile phones, internet along with other technological advances. Almost everyone have access to these technological products and this had made it easier for people to make use of media to create trouble. People have a command over these sources, and this authority have enable them to use these sources to distort facts, create false impressions and even causing instability. In the middle east countries, the Muslim's public views of the West have been poisoned. In the example given, the false story of the Koran was spread to people through the various channels like internet and magazines, sparking off riots in Afghanistan and Pakistan. People have a control over these media and thus could easily employ them to create disorder.

People has also found power in blogging with the rise of the blogging phenomenon. Other than using them to voice out their grievances and regain confidence by receiving feedback over their post, it has also aid them in establishing career. In addition, they are able to fight for their own rights with blogs. People in Morocco have made use of blogs to advocate for the independence of Western Sahara. Egyptians bloggers have held a campaign hoping to educate the world on their situation - that is free activists are being arrested and imprisoned because of comments made over their posts. Such movement actually won the Freedom of Expression award presented by Reporters Without Borders. This has proved that people are indeed having power to fight for their own rights and able to gain recognition with this.

Some forces stood up to fight against the internet censorship because the government was applying it to the people. For example, governments in some Middle East countries and in China have banned political websites which they thought have would be sensitive. Thus, people wanted to challenge the government because they think they should have the freedom to express themselves. Indeed, some have succeeded in the battle. In Pakistan, the Pakistani have access to blogspot blogs after they protested against the government ban. they have made use of the internet to connect to bloggers worldwide, inviting them to join in the protest. The government had lifted the ban after coming under increasing pressure from the community. This has once again show that people are gaining power from the media and this power is actually great enough to influence the government and empowered them.

Labels: Task 4

posted by Si Hui @ 2:04 PM