It is widely debated whether new media enhances democracy or increases threat to government. In many cases, the answer is neither of the above. For instance, the rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico is perceived by many to have increased democracy as the rebels made their opinions and stories public by posting them on the Internet and utilizing cellular phones. The current conflict in Egypt and the Middle East is similar in that young people are organizing through the use of technologies such as social networking sites, blogs, and cellular phone communication. While opinionated young adults bask in these possibilities, governments commonly view this same act as terrorism as the "outspoken" rebels spread fear and distrust of the government. As seen in recent instances, governments have shown their power as the Egyptian government shut the country’s Internet down. Similarly, in his novel, Little Brother, Doctorow addresses this issue by explaining this issue as a Constitutional right to freedom of speech. The teenage protagonist, Marcus, exemplifies this by bringing justice to the government by posting his opinions on the Internet and generating a following of more young adults through means of technology. I agree with Doctorow on this claim because I believe that having opinions and being able to freely discuss them are a human right that cannot be denied or suppressed by the government.
Chiapas: A Historical Analogy of a Current Issue
Governments Fearing their Downfall
Doctorow: Fiction with Truth
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