Censors Come Calling

In this globalized world, the Internet has become a free and fast accessible source of information as well as a contradiction. Following freedom of information is revelation of sensitive issues that tickle responses from the government. It proves that the media and the politic are inseparable. Looking at the way several countries have been trying to control and restrict the circulation of information and ideas in the mainstream media, I reckon that free speech becomes more expensive while it is given a platform for being more independent.

It is shocking how China freezes users’ computer if they use key words such as “Tiananmen Square”. It shows how sensitive politic can be in the field of media. The fact that Burma applies software in internet cafes which is able to record what’s on screen every five minutes shows how freedom of information and communication is limited even more within its platform for greater accessibility. And as the article outlined that foreign companies get a risk of missing their market opportunity if they do not follow the government’s policy makes more clear for me that censorship has changed to a form of threat. What is more logical for me is censorship for the sake of protecting children from pornography.

Internet has become more as a battlefield rather than a platform of information and communication. While the government’s attempt to control and place restricted censorship toward the Internet is getting more intense, users also put more effort in terms of maintaining freedom in using the media.

Citizen Journalism

In the world of blogging globalization, the flow of information becomes faster and gets more freedom. Following the birth of web blog and social networking sites is the issue of citizen journalism, or participatory journalism. To my understanding, what considered as citizen journalists are ordinary people without any special education in journalism who create reportage and news coverage in any issue. These “journalists” mainly post their writing through the Internet, especially blogs.

In the era of digital media, citizens are enjoying the freedom of expressing their views about anything without the need to be professional journalists. Considering the fact that even professional or investigate journalists are banned and sentenced jail for being critical, a platform for greater freedom of expression is surely needed. The case of Sayed Perwiz Kambkhash gives a clear outline of how politic and religion are the dangerous areas the media could not really touch.

On the contrary, citizen journalism is claimed to be a scandalous and contradictive platform of information. The case of Mayhill Fowler has got me an impression that citizen journalism is about privacy crossing the way in which she tried to get the story. If I were Clinton, I would like to know whether my words are recorded or gonna be published.
Another problem with citizen journalism is that the reportage are unfiltered and unedited. The risk of falsity and inaccuracy is big. A false report about Steve Jacob for instance, where the reportage became more of sensationalism rather than accuracy. CNN should be the one who is responsible in terms of filtering and editing the posting. In fact, CNN was unsuccessful in finding the author of the false report. It indicates the power of communication technologies (in this case, the Internet) not only as a platform of information and free but also its danger as a facility for unguaranteed news and damaging report.  
It is undeniably true that freedom of expression gets more guarantees through this form of participatory journalism. Changing information and perspectives in the media reaches wider audience too. However, the fact that citizen journalism’s reportage brought some problems exists here and now. And what are the rules? There are no exact rules in citizen journalism - not to say that the ethical codes applied in professional journalism are effective. Interestingly, unfiltered and maybe unprofessional reportage have become the source of information in this globalized world.

Another One...

Hi everyone..I'm Stella, for those who don't know me. This is my second blog, for the sake of this semester's project. I can't use my first blog in view of the fact that it is in goddamn Indonesian (haa2).

I started blogging since I study in Australia, even tough I'm still in love with diary and hand writing, but technology wouldn't wait for me so I have no choice..

Well, hope I will love this blog as much as I love my Indonesia blog!!

Au revoir...A bientot...