The World Wide Web is a powerful phenomenon. In under a decade, we have seen the explosion of a whole new form of human interaction. The communications era or “Information Age” has arrived and it has rapidly reached into every aspect of our lives. The Arts, Literature, Popular Culture, Education, Business, Sport, Banking, Religion, Music, Politics, Advertising, History, etc., not to mention interpersonal relations have found an inexpensive, easy and quick new mode of expression. But what is a Godsend for some is a nightmare of confusion for others. For many reasons, which we won’t explore, the line between fact and conjecture, truth and untruth is already blurred beyond repair. Increasingly, the web is becoming a junkyard of images, sounds and ideas. History is being re-written, facts distorted and opinions expressed that, whether challenged or not, can come to dominate popular perception.

Here is the perfect place for the misguided, uninformed or plain stupid to air their views or give the appearance of well, anything! Imagine if you could instantly become a world authority on any subject, imagine if you could be seen to be whoever you say you are, or your product/service is anything you say it is. On the web, anything goes. People can set themselves up as experts on subjects that they may or may not have genuine knowledge of. They can then assume the power to distort and mis-represent any hard facts, source material or feedback in much the same way as the free press is sometimes accused. The big difference is that, unlike the Internet, the press is not self regulatory, usually it must act within the rules of the State in which it operates.

Such is the power of this medium that you can publish literally anything at all and with little effort, have instant and massive visibility. Whether you are a Nobel Laureate, Professor Emeritus, Primary School Teacher, man in the street, Death Row Prisoner or Cleric, you can be seen to be well-credentialled, and the views you espouse or the goods and services you sell, authentic. That’s powerful.

All this is not surprising considering that with some rare exceptions, usually organisations or individuals with a reputation to protect, rather than make, there is no broad filter or single point of reference keeping an eye on things. Consequently the ‘Mis’-information Age has emerged in parallel to cast a pervasive shadow over relative reliability. Internet Anarchy is the order of the day and for the foreseeable future there are in effect, no controls at all unless what is published is in gross defiance of international standards.

But Television, Cinema, Radio and Print have always carried dubious material, so what’s new? Two things; firstly, the web brings the convergence of sight, sound and print straight to the user without delay. Information comes to us now like never before, confronting us to increase our rate of uptake and compelling us to make instant decisions as to the integrity of what we behold. Secondly, it is interactive. Surfers can immediately participate in anything from gambling to mail-order to live webcam. This immediacy places the observer in a precarious position. To make quick sense of what he sees, he must be informed and, he must also be cautious, especially if he interacts.

In the end, it gets back individual or group credibility and intent. Yes there are times when a sales pitch or a point of view seems completely rational or compelling on an everyday level, but when tested can be found to be wrong, out of place or negative and in some cases even dangerous. The rules of communication are rapidly changing and because the target for today’s information overload spans an entire social and geographical demographic, every individual, family, business and organisation needs to find a way to come to terms with them.

Most progressive organisations go to the effort of establishing an Internet site to promote their activities and act as a source of information for members and visitors. Some have a Guestbook inviting people to post comments and greetings. These are fun. They can be humorous, even informative and they usually have an element of connection to the site. Until recent times, the views and opinions of people who don’t fully participate have been confined mostly to passive conversation or with some effort, make it into a magazine or other written publication. Not long ago, a visitor(s) to the JKAA website Guestbook posted a direct attack on the Chief Instructor of the association. Buried among several anonymous emotional postings, it was suggested that he step aside in favour of someone else. As far as the right to free speech is concerned, this is fair enough, it is our protected right to be able to speak our mind and it is the Australian way to do so, clearly and directly.

It is also the Australian way to face up to your responsibilities, and in this instance, the writer had an obligation to properly identify him/herself and state a case. This was not done, and so the comments and others like them cannot be entertained. They have no validity, they are irrelevant and they should be relegated to where they belong - straight into the fast growing mis-information junkyard.

Send comments or feedback on this eDitorial to talkback

Back to eDitorials

Home

Copyright © Japan Karate Association of Australia (Victoria) Limited 2003