The Internet will shut down for 24 hours to enable its total overhaul or forward this email from Microsoft founder to earn a certain amount of money. If this does not sound familiar, what about phrases like, “What people do on the Internet cannot be regulated”, or, “International laws do not apply on the Internet”.
These sounds familiar, right? They are just tiny fractions of the many Internet myths that some people have come to believe to be true over the years.
The question here is what is it about the Internet that makes it quite easy for people to believe every subject matter that surrounds it?
Probably because the Internet has had so much to offer in terms of life-changing experiences, even when an average user is clueless as to how the Internet works. Psychologically, myths are attractive, appearing to be intuitive and in most cases, it appears to have helped to simplify complex situations. Some people have, therefore, been caught in the web of being taken over by the many distractions and “immunity” that the Internet has to offer.
Feeling a sense of safety in what they do and from what they execute from the Internet thinking that after all, the Internet is not wholly regulated, nobody can hold them responsible for what they execute on the Internet, or, maybe the Internet is so safe for them to use they are well protected.
Sorry to burst your bubble! All these thoughts appear to be the truth, to an average user but in reality, they are myths that you have to quickly get rid of from your mind.
In this edition, I have come up,with three Internet myths common to our clime:
Only criminals want anonymity online
Communication via the Internet has greatly increased the anonymous way of conveying messages.
This method appears to have made people irresponsible and unaccountable, for their actions. Making people breach societal trust, therefore, causing detrimental effects, on public discussion.
The assumption here is that the rise of Internet communication has turned the world into an anonymous global village.
While this appears to be true because Internet communication, works in a likely pseudonymous way where it is possible for users to conceal their identity, the ability of the state and corporate society to track and identify users is fast gaining ground. Internet communication can be analysed such that the possibilities to pick out persons have significantly increased. This, in return, proves damaging to basic human rights.
Anonymity does not come as a benefit to criminals only; it is also very important to groups and individuals in the society. For instance, political activists require secure space to form their identity and to position themselves towards a much better society.
Anonymity allows citizens to change opinion and speak their mind, for good reasons of privacy and democracy. Does anonymity trigger reckless behaviour? Empirical studies indicate that no clear case exists to prove that users, who perform — Finish Reading on the Punch
