You Wouldn’t Believe What People Are Saying about the Internet! Click Here for 7 Rules for Navigating Cyberspace
The internet is a vast and confusing space. New media scholar Wendy Chun calls it, and modes of mass communication like it, “wonderfully creepy.” Creepy, on one hand, to signal something fascinating, but odd. Creepy, on the other, to indicate something sneaking in and never letting go. New truths rise, then fall. New memes become lit, then become corny. New trends grip everyone’s hearts, then fade as soon as something shinier comes along. But these truths, memes, and trends don’t simply disappear. Information is the currency of the digital economy, after all.
In an always changing, always updating, always Downloading the New Version digitalized space, it may seem that anything goes. For the most part, it does. So how do you navigate a space that is constantly in flux? Here are a few tips and tricks.
1. Consolidate and check your sources.
In a world of alternative facts and creative interpretation, mis/information can spread like wildfire. Any story can have a hundred different angles and a hundred different ways it can be written, so if something smells fishy (or, really, even if it doesn’t), double-, triple-, quadruple-check where it’s from.
Ask yourself:
- Where is this from?
o A viral tweet? Where are the receipts?
o If it’s a news source, check if the newspaper or website has any known political leanings and affiliations.
- Who wrote it?
o A scholar typing on their Twitter account? A propagandist with a blog? A lawyer? A senator with no relevant experience? We’re often taught to separate the author from the body of work, but who we are and what we believe in influence what we write.
- Why did they write it?
o A harder question to think about, but sometimes, the answer is right there. Is the piece polemic? Inflammatory? Dismissive? Is it well thought-out? Did it give you a visceral emotional reaction?
2. Credit!
So you found a screenshot of a funny tweet on Facebook, or maybe a screenshot of a hugot Tumblr post on Twitter. Maybe you were reading articles like “The Internet is MAD at (Some Celebrity Here)” that link to tweets or Instagram posts. What do these all have in common? The re-poster didn’t ask for permission.
You might be thinking, “well, it’s the internet, and everything is public on the Internet!” While that notion does hold some truth, intellectual property still exists on the internet. It can get a bit confusing, especially since most viral content (i.e. memes) is the product of thousands of users agreeing on shared meaning. The felt Kermit is sad. Anyone can use felt Kermit to express sadness. The internet is still wondering why the lady buying the kamatis didn’t ask for a plastic bag. Anyone can use “AY!” as a punchline.
The danger comes in when news agencies profit off what people post — without asking them for permission to use their content, or when a social media influence-r re-posts art without crediting the artist. There may not necessarily be malice involved, but when the re-poster gets more credit than the source, things go wrong. Sometimes, people who tweet publicly don’t want their opinions broadcasted on Buzzfeed. The artist needs more exposure than the already famous person who found and admired their work.
Consent — even in a place like the internet where borders are permeable — is still key. You’re not entitled to everything you find on the internet. At the end of the day, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
3. Don’t just say what you want.
We all post in the heat of the moment, and I’m not here to police how you want to express yourself on the internet. But it’s always a good idea to take a deep breath and pause before hitting publish. There is a lot of white noise on the internet, so contribute something meaningful — whatever holds meaning for you, whether it be a long political post on Facebook or a photo of your brunch on Instagram. In an ideal world, whatever holds meaning for you holds meaning for many others, as well.
4. Take advantage of security features.
We’re vulnerable on the internet. This isn’t the fault of the individual user (although in many cases, it certainly feels like the fault of the individual user), but the fault of how the systems were created in the first place (often due to conflicts of interest, like how Twitter refuses to ban users who harass and threaten). Still, there are some security features for you to take advantage of. Blocking or reporting users is not a sign of weakness, but a symptom of how digitalized spaces (and the big players that control them) fail to recognize that the Twitter egg or blank profile picture poses actual danger.
On a different note, it doesn’t hurt to use strong antivirus software, private chat apps, or password protectors (better yet, use different strong passwords and never save them on your cloud).
5. Reach out and cultivate communities.
The internet is, vast, confusing, “wonderfully creepy,” and alienating. Being on the internet sometimes feels like shouting into the void (or, thanks to Facebook’s algorithms, an echo chamber). At the same time, it’s a vast, beautiful, engaging, and challenging space. New media connects people — from companies to distant relatives to old friends. We can tweet at news agencies or senators or celebrities, email CEOs, and almost always get some sort of acknowledgement back.
Spaces on the internet exist for almost anything — meme lovers, policymakers, social anxiety support, fans of a TV show or book or band, people who value education, startup geeks, vegan meat substitutes. A quick search should yield what you’re looking for. If not, look elsewhere — your real-life communities often bleed into your internet communities. Both are valuable. Reach out to organizations you’re interested in working with. Send an email. Send many emails. Tweet. Don’t be afraid to make contact first. Power distance somehow diffuses over the internet. Reach out, especially in times of fear or distrust. Click send.
Written by Teresa Naval.
