Internet etiquette needs to be addressed

11:29, 6 May 2013

ABU DHABI. May 6. KAZINFORM - With every marvel technology produces for us, we usually decide to come at odds with it, at least in the beginning. Satellite television, the Internet, camera phones, and now the social media portals like Facebook, Twitter, What's app, etc. The cycle of such technologies usually starts with total rejection with a touch of suspicion, then there is partial acceptance, and finally it becomes a controversial reality; used by millions, and yet still rejected and seen as scandalous by many.

To some extent, this is normal. People have different tastes, and they usually fear change, the unknown drives them to cherish the status quo. I say to some extent, because what is happening here has gone a bit too far and a bit extreme.
Go through the comments section of any news website, or better yet, any Arabic YouTube channel, and prepare yourself to be perplexed, annoyed, and in many instances, disgusted. The next to check out would be the Arabic hashtags on Twitter, but it is not for the faint of heart.

The weirdness of the comments and hashtags does not bother me in itself. After all, this is a global phenomenon. In an article in American Journalism Review in 2010, Rem Rieder wrote, "Comments sections are often packed with profanity and vicious personal attacks. The opportunity to launch brutal assaults from the safety of a computer without attaching a name does wonders for the bravery levels of the angry." All major news websites around the globe had suffered from this. Even YouTube was once called "a comment disaster on an unprecedented scale." That is why comments for such media portals are scrutinized, monitored and publishing policies face constant review and sometimes change.

Having said that, in my opinion, what is really alarming about such behavior is its social implications. It is not the profanity, but profanity that is used to defend religion. It is not the hatred, but hatred that is disguising discrimination and racism.

It is the harsh reality that is slapping us across the face whenever we read our own people's comments and interactions on the Internet. Hard questions are asked: How have such people been raised, and what is their environment and what was their background? Why do many have low levels of tolerance toward different ideas and opinions of others? Why do some attack different lifestyles from their own? Why do they look at women in a certain way as to their roles in society? Does anyone have a real understanding of the concepts of human rights or freedom of speech? And maybe the harshest question of all is, do we really understand our religion and its teachings? I am sure the answers to these hard questions are most likely frightful.

In short, the Internet is like a theater, putting on a play with a script full of groupings, partisanship and prejudices. We are all up there on stage, playing our parts, arguing, exchanging insults, labeling, and being condescending to each other. These are all social diseases that must to be seriously addressed for the sake of our society. We want our children to learn and think freely with open minds and hearts, and we need resources made available by governmental agencies and civil organizations.

Simply, the answer is in spreading awareness, and in facing the negative traits of own culture, and doing something about them for the good of society.

- Send us your comments to saudipulse@arabnews.com or go to www.arabnews.com/opinion

Source: ARAB NEWS

Society