First there was Thanksgiving.
Then came Black Friday.
Now we have Cyber Monday.
Though quite a recent phenomenon, Cyber Monday has quickly become the most profitable day of the year for American e-commerce. If you’re the sort who likes backstories, you can read about the rapid rise of the loosely termed “holiday” in the following article: “What Is Cyber Monday? History And Statistics.”
The plethora of online bargains is undoubtedly welcome and useful to many of us. Who doesn’t love snagging a deal, and whose pocketbook isn’t better off for it? How many of us feel thankful when we can skip the crowded shopping malls during the already hectic holiday season? The internet has made this possible.
But before we begin our frenzy of checkout clicking, let us take a moment to pause and remember some of the less fortunate realities of the internet, and what we can do about them.
1) Many Americans’ access to proper internet, especially in rural areas, remains woefully inadequate or nonexistent. For more on this, I recommend Government Technology Magazine’s analysis in their article “Rural Communities Suffer the Most Without Access to the Web.” The video below, from Mic, offers a less in-depth but more easily digestible look at things:
The widening gap for internet access is creating new gaps in opportunities and upward mobility, while simultaneously entrenching and solidifying old ones. As some of us become ever more and better connected, others of us are being left further and further behind.
What can we do?
* Support politicians who are committed to creating, expanding, and improving broadband access in rural America, especially politicians at the state and local levels.
* Support libraries and schools—many people’s only point of internet access—and vote in favor of initiatives to fund them.
2) The FCC, under the direction of Ajit Pai, successfully repealed net neutrality in June of this year. From the Wired Guide To Net Neutrality:
NET NEUTRALITY IS the idea that internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon should treat all content flowing through their cables and cell towers equally. That means they shouldn't be able to slide some data into “fast lanes” while blocking or otherwise discriminating against other material. In other words, these companies shouldn't be able to block you from accessing a service like Skype, or slow down Netflix or Hulu, in order to encourage you to keep your cable package or buy a different video-streaming service.
Net neutrality benefits all sorts.
Image: American Alliance of Museums
In addition to possible slowdowns for consumers unwilling to pay for access to non-prioritized content, there are additional worries. Most frequently, these concerns center on the potential for internet giants to increase their near-monopolistic online influence to the detriment of entrepreneurs, startups, and innovation generally, and on the conceivable consequences for freedom of speech.
What can we do?
* Nine states have enacted pro-net neutrality laws of their own through legislation or executive order. Thirty additional states have proposed bills for various net neutrality protections. Contact your state representatives and let them know that you support their efforts, or, if your state has yet to take action, tell them that you expect them to start. State-by-state info has been compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures and can be found here.
* Continue to let your national representatives know that you favor net neutrality and want them to press for its reinstatement. Depending on the outcome of various court cases and future national elections, the issue may return to the U.S. legislative branch. And when the time comes, we want our representatives in Washington to know this is still important to us.
* As already marginalized voices find themselves at risk of becoming further marginalized by internet users not being able to access them or their content as easily, try to help when appropriate through online and offline signal-boosting: share widely those voices that are important but may have trouble reaching a larger audience on their own.
3) Social media sites continue to allow hate speech and online threats to proliferate, while also continuing to provide hate groups with a powerful platform from which to spread their noxious worldviews.
In the meantime, people fear for their lives as online agitation increasingly spills over into real-world violence.
Online incitement has also led to several high-profile cases of offline harassment and violence, some marked by misogyny (Gamergate), others stemming from political conspiracy theories (Pizzagate), and still others fueled by mass hysteria (the recent rash of WhatsApp rumors leading to the lynching of innocent people in several locations in India and Latin America).
Also in the meantime, social media giants—Facebook especially—continue to be anything but upfront and forthcoming about their involvement, witting or otherwise, in spreading disinformation. In defense of their inaction, the sector has consistently maintained that it should not be in the business of policing speech.
The protection versus the manipulation of free speech is a fine line to tread, to be sure. But social media companies need to accept the responsibility they have— whether they sought it or not—they need to be more transparent, and they need to try harder.
What can we do?
* Pressure your social media sites directly to improve. Complain about your favorite or least favorite platform’s shortcomings on that platform itself, as well as on others.
* Let your Congressional representatives know that you support the pressure they’ve been putting on social media companies for increased transparency and would like to see more of it.
* Use social media responsibly: remember to verify original sources and gauge the trustworthiness of the information you consume on social media sites, and avoid sharing information with others until you are as sure as you can be about its veracity; politely point out where information your friends may have shared is inaccurate or misleading; flag false, inflammatory, threatening, or suspicious online information and behavior when possible.
* Resolve the free speech conundrum and the paradox of tolerance. This won’t happen overnight—or ever, most likely, if we’re being honest—but we can progress toward better if not perfect solutions if we continue to think about, discuss, and debate these inherently tricky trade-offs.
4) China is watching everything you do online, Russia can hack any country at will, your identity can be stolen with laughable ease, leaving you in great legal or financial peril immediately or in some unsuspecting future moment, and creeps can watch you through the camera on your phone and listen to you through the mic on your TV.
Unless you’re like Japan’s minister for cyber-security and have never used a computer, you need to protect yourself.
Image: Shutterstock
The internet is a microcosm of the world at large, and there are now bad actors in both places. It feels unfair that such a powerful tool for the dissemination and democratization of knowledge should be hijacked for sinister purposes, and wrong to sully such a beautiful and in many other senses wildly successful endeavor. But there you have it. The internet can be and is used for evil.
What can we do?
* First, use the internet well in your own life. Don’t be a bad guy.
* Next, take the time—a morning, or a day or two at most—to get serious about protecting yourself from online bad guys. This is a huge and important topic, and it has been covered extensively by many sources far more knowledgeable than myself. So for now I will simply leave you with this easily navigable Guide To Digital Security: From Passwords To Faraday Cages.
* If you have the means, use Apple products—their security is far superior—and learn how to activate and personalize all your optional security settings.
* Use an encrypted messaging app like Signal or WhatsApp for free end-to-end secured communication in your everyday life.
* Keep your personal data to yourself online unless actually necessary. Consider restricting the less official info you give out—hobbies, interests, locations, etc.
* Elect local and national leaders who understand that internet security is now an important part of personal and national security.
5) I still cannot watch American television from outside America. Even with a VPN (virtual private network) masking my location and assigning me an IP address to make it look like I’m connecting from the States when I’m actually abroad.
Image: Screenshot taken from my own computer after a failed attempt to watch something on an American network television website.
American television is a living, breathing global patrimony, and none should be denied access to its splendor. Networks: make this content available in my location!
What can we do?
* Short of sending DVDs to your expat friends and shouting uselessly into the void. . . nothing. Best to count your other blessings!
Other blessings.
Photo: American Meadows
