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Mid-life crisis hits Net
THE Internet is going through a mid-life crisis. This sounds preposterous given
that the medium has only been a big and popular one for three years at best. But a
mid-life crisis is what it looks like.
The profile of users has changed from 1995 when it was dominated by young (19-30-year-old)
students and professionals. The most comprehensive survey of Net users, by Georgia Tech in
the US, shows that late last year women and older adults (35-40-year-olds) were starting
to access the Net in the biggest numbers.
With this shift in demographics to an older community with much more female participation,
has come doubts and fears, as well as wonder and excitement. This is illustrated by the
results of a survey in the US, released two weeks ago.
The Annenberg Public Policy Centre phoned a small sample of 1100 Net users and found that
78 per cent of parents are "strongly" or "somewhat" concerned that
their children might give away personal information on the Net. An equal percentage fear
children might view sexually explicit material. Nearly two-thirds of parents believe the
Net can cause their children to become isolated, while only 35 per cent say the Net can
have a community-building influence. Half claim using the Net might interfere with
parents’ ability to teach values and beliefs.
At the same time, many also feel the Net is an essential tool with positive potential.
Nearly 60 per cent of parents said children without access were at a disadvantage; 75 per
cent said the Net was a place for children to discover fascinating, useful things; and 72
per cent believe the Net helps their children with schoolwork. "Parents are juggling
the dream and the nightmare of the Internet at the same time," said Joseph Turow,
author of the report.
Such parental concerns are also allegedly behind Senator Richard Alston's drive to
regulate content here, although enough critics have already pointed out possible political
motives and the sheer inefficiency and unworkability of the regime to raise eyebrows.
Before Senator Alston introduced his censorship legislation, the very wired Senator
Natasha Stott Despoja of the Australian Democrats, best summed up this love-hate, should
we-shouldn't we, feeling about the Net.
"The Democrats understand that there is community concern about some of the content
available on Internet sites, but we are also keenly aware of the difficulties inherent in
any form of online content regulation. Not least of these is the significant impact on the
choices and freedoms of Australian Internet users," she says in a release at her Web
site.
"I remain hopeful that parents, teachers and others responsible for children will
come to understand that their responsibilities include the protection of children from
harm and preparation for the world. Just as children are taught about how to deal with
poisons, prank calls, kitchen knives and street crime, they also need to be taught about
content choices and the Internet," Senator Stott Despoja says.
As with anything, all this is easier said than done.
But the current mid-life crisis is at least making people think about responsible
approaches to the Net. And it also showing that the medium -- without government intrusion
-- can be used to foster discussion and seek alternatives. And you cannot do that with TV
-- the passive babysitter that Senator Alston and others like to equate with the Net when
seeking reasons to regulate it.
All articles Copyright: © West Australian Newspapers |
