Freedom and responsibility on the Internet
As this year draws to a close, it also brings down the curtain
on what we could effectively call the first Internet decade.
While the Internet has been around for much longer than a
decade, in many ways 1995 was the year when many of today's
biggest names on the Internet were founded. What a dynamic 10
years it has been for the Internet, comprising both the flight
to stratospheric heights and the crash followed by a more
cautious approach to get back on the feet. Thankfully, we seem
to be running again...
However, this article is not about the impact the Internet has
had on all aspects of our life--that is far too well documented
already. Rather, I'd like to reiterate and highlight the
striking parallel that the Internet has to some of the core
values that American society cherishes (and I suspect, most of
humankind does too)--freedom, democracy, and unlimited
opportunity.
Isn't that what the Internet is all about? Freedom to cut across
geographic barriers and interact with people from any part of
the world; the freedom and the democratic rights to voice
opinions and comment on matters that affect you, and the
unlimited professional and personal opportunities that emanate
from the first two mentioned attributes.
Blogging is one example of how virtually anyone can become a
writer, with the only obstacle to getting one's thoughts
published being one's desire and willingness to write or voice
an opinion. For that matter, consumers
rate products and companies, complain about customer service
levels, frustrated employees let out steam against
employers--quite literally making an individual so much more
powerful, because in the hyperlinked world of the Internet, the
significance of "word of mouth" gets on to a completely
different level.
On the positive side, the Internet makes a person altruistic: review a song or
music you have heard, a movie you saw or a book you read, or
you rate the quality of service by a service provider, and lo-
you are helping another potential customer like you in their
decision making process. Amazon.com and a website like
epinions.com have epitomized the benefits and powers of consumer
recommendation.
Likewise, there are business and social networking websites,
that are just getting recognized for the value they deliver to
the participants and the immense potential to marketers looking
to target a fairly engaged and Internet-savvy audience.
The burden of responsibility Yet, with the freedom and democracy
that empowers us with certain rights, comes the weight of
ensuring that these rights are used responsibly. With the power
to judge and rate that the Internet, and more specifically,
sites such as the newly-launched Response Planet gives us, we
almost become duty-bound to see that the power is used
constructively.
Else, we run the risk of not trusting ourselves with the power
of the tools we have at our disposal, and thereby failing to
capitalize on the enormous opportunities offered by them. So,
when we rate and post comments on sites that allow us to, there
is an obligation to make a conscious effort not to be vicious or
malicious. Or, as Google's stated motto was, "Don't be Evil"
About the author:
Jonathan Gropper is President and Founder of Vortech Web & Business Solutions
LLC and COO of OnlyOpenHouses.com, a comprehensive
portal to list and find
open houses in New Jersey. He is also a co-founder of
ResponsePlanet.com, designed to be a place to read and rate everything on
the planet
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