The evolution of revolution

1-26-2009 Global:

But who cares about it if it’s on a computer screen?

What is the worth of new media?

The question is as general as it is pertinent. Since the election of Barack Obama the answer is becoming clearer: increased free speech. But how dangerous is completely unmonitored free speech on the Web?

In the U.S., the right to free speech is taken for granted for the most part, so a Web site like Facebook.com feels more like social window dressing than anything else. However, in Egypt, where free speech has been monitored since 1981 by the National Democratic Party, which has an established state-of-emergency law, Facebook is emerging as a voice of revolt and possible change, according to the article "Can Social Networking Turn Disaffected Young Egyptians Into A Force For Democratic Change?" in the New York Times Magazine.

The article cites Facebook groups that have originated out of Egypt, which have found a voice, such as the April 6 Youth Movement group, populated by 70,000 members. Most of these members are young Egyptians speaking for democracy in their country and speaking out against President Hosni Mubarak's continued diplomacy with Israel rather than simply protesting against the Israeli state.

Although the protests organized by this group and others like it are poorly attended more times than not, the mere fact that these young people can discuss politics with each other without fear of persecution is wildly progressive.

Over two hundred years ago, Paul Revere was forced to ride his horse in the dead of night to rely messages of similar weight. Now, fellow revolutionaries need only to press the blue-toned send button on their message box.

Unfortunately, political change is as hard as ever while the depersonalization of communication only increases with each viral improvement. The piece "Texting + Sex = Teens flirting with porn," in Sunday's issue of the Buffalo News, addressed "sexting" teens in Western New York schools. Sexting refers to the sharing of pornography via cell phone between young teens, including nude photos of fellow classmates.

In one case, a Cheektowaga mother discovered her teen daughter was sending nude photos of herself to a fellow teen that turned out to be 48 years old.

So where is the line? With one text a young Egyptian could start a democratic revolution and with one text a young girl can unwillingly submit herself to sexual harassment.

The answer is there is no line because free speech has no boundaries by definition. If technology breeds increased danger, said danger must be monitored but not manipulated. Continue to allow teens to text and continue to punish them if they are caught sexting, but do not take away their cell phones.

After all, fear of technological innovation will not survive in a world moving this quickly. It seems that a good number of Egyptians know this. How many Americans know this remains to be seen. ..News Source.. by The Spectrum Student Periodical, Inc.