splash!!

New Media: Democracy or Terrorism?

It is widely debated whether new media enhances democracy or increases threat to government. 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. On the other hand, governments commonly view this same act as terrorism as the "outspoken" rebels spread fear and distrust of the government. In his novel, Little Brother, Doctorow addresses this issue by explaining this as a Constitutional right to freedom of speech. The protagonist, Marcus, exemplifies this by bringing justice to the government by posting his opinions on the Internet and generating a following. 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