The other day, while reading The Guardian's otherwise estimable new coverage, I came across an article containing three paragraphs that are just so very wrong that I'm pretty certain I audibly gasped. The article in question looks at the censoring of child porn images on the internet and how censoring is only a first step which must be followed by action in the real world in order to adequately protect children from predators. The article overall is pretty inoffensive and I don't really have any objections to the argument put forward by Jackie Ashley.
But what I do object to is the article's opening three paragraphs which describe the internet in such sensationalist terms that I momentarily thought I was accidentally reading the Daily Mail. Jackie Ashley describes the internet as such a hotbed of corruption and sexual deviancy that I can't help but wonder what kind of sites Ashley is perusing.
Ashley starts her article by lamenting that, "there's something very sad about what has happened to the internet." She then follows this statement by painting an image of a bygone time when the internet was "a cornucopia of democratic wonders", making knowledge and independent entertainment freely available to the masses. However, instead of ushering in a new era of enlightenment and freedom of information, the internet has just unleashed an unending stream of paedophiles and sexualisation of children. The reader is urged to remember "that earlier, optimistic vision" of the internet rather than the sex-filled internet of today. This is a massive oversimplification of the wonderful diversity in information and entertainment available on the internet. While Ashley's article seeks to discuss the important topic of how best to protect children from sexual predation, she undermines herself by making shrill, tabloid-style proclamations about the degeneracy of society at the hands of the malicious internet.
I will be the first to admit that there are some utter cretins roaming the internet. Think of the horrific internet backlash experienced by the women who campaigned to get Jane Austen on the £10 note. Or how about this blog post from former National Review columnist, John Derbyshire, which argues that slavery in the US wasn't actually that bad of a deal for the slaves. Or how about this man who stripped his unconscious wife and bared all to the internet via webcam. But to conclude from this that the internet is "all about predatory paedophiles" is just wrong. And by saying that the internet has failed in its original vision to "bring the best information and entertainment to the billions" is doing a disservice to the intelligent, innovative and creative minds currently doing exactly that.
There is an amazing and ever-expanding treasure trove of education-related entertainment being produced. There's Vihart's youtube channel which wittily and artistically explains mathematical concepts, from the Fibonacci sequence to Pythagoras and irrational numbers. Her videos are as intellectually stimulating as they are visually arresting. Or how about Crash Course which has hundreds of videos covering topics including the history of atomic theory, stoichiometry, the poetry of Emily Dickinson and the Peloponnesian War. The comments sections on both of these channels are some of the most civilised I have ever encountered.
Ashley's claims that the internet has failed to democratise tycoon-driven media empires overlooks the amazing range and quality of independently created media available on the internet. There are countless media channels available, covering current affairs, film critique, comedy shorts. I posted a few weeks ago about how the internet is retelling classic stories in fascinating and more inclusive ways. And the variety of mind-blowing, independently-produced music is incredible. How about Peter Hollens' incredible acapella songs. Or Pentatonix's beautiful musical arrangements that are bursting with enthusiasm. Or Lindsey Stirling, the dubstep violinist, making classical music accessible to the social media generation.
The internet is being awesome in ways that Ashley probably doesn't even realise because I get the impression that she doesn't actually spend that much time getting involved in online projects or communities. There are huge online communities of like-minded individuals that are making genuine contributions to improving the lives of the less fortunate. On a more personal note, when I was freaking out over medical tests that I needed for health problems that my doctor had trouble diagnosing (I was utterly convinced I had cancer), reading and watching testimonials from other people living with chronic illnesses was incredibly comforting.
So, yes, campaign for protections that will ensure that children are safe on the internet. But don't malign the internet as universally abhorrent because of a few unsavoury factions; it does a disservice to all the incredible and talented individuals using the internet to create and propagate amazing ideas and projects.
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