Unfiltered
The Upsetting Reality of Digital Advancement
L. D. Banks
AS TECHNOLOGY TRICKLES ITS WAY INTO ALL PARTS OF OUR LIVES, the accepted state of the internet has rightly begun being called into question. The internet contains an unimaginable amount of content, of which a large amount is harmful. There is no denying that there are strange and cruel people out in the world, and as it stands, it is simple to distribute content online with the potential to embarrass, bully, or scar. This reality is made worse as it is logistically impossible to stop the expansion of any material once it has been posted. These problems have sparked a mental health epidemic unlike anything faced by generations before us.
The internet is fast flowing, making many feel as though their perspective is overlooked, encouraging them to share their view more ‘passionately’. People feel more comfortable sharing their most personal issues, ideas and views online, which they may not broadcast in real life. Not to mention people’s use of pseudonyms, allowing one to say whatever they like, no matter how hurtful, and experience no consequence at all. Thus, the culture of the internet, particularly amongst youth has become one of divide, aggression and juvenile spitefulness.
These changing behaviours seem to be carrying across into real life, as the line between online and offline becomes blurred. Community spirit seems to be taking steps backward as people spend more time socialising online than they do in the real world. People no longer make eye contact as you pass down the street, opting rather to swiftly and awkwardly pull out their device, check the weather, and put it back in their pocket once a safe distance past the surrounding pedestrians. Now I must admit, I most definitely fall victim to such a behaviour, yet it is still concerning that we live in a world where the unspoken norm is to completely ignore fellow human beings.
The status quo of community spirit is poor. It can be upsetting to think that there are people out there who go every day unacknowledged, living their life out through a screen. Most significantly, it is saddening to see the reality that ‘aussie community spirit’, on the streets of big cities, does not exist. This lack of camaraderie, if not caused, is at least perpetuated by the toxic environment online. People spend hours arguing, judging, and comparing, all to shut off their device at 2am, after putting off sleeping to corrode their brain, feeling unfulfilled, unaccepted and exhausted.
I am of the opinion that the internet should be treated with much more caution. Although Shore thankfully provides a web-blocker platform and other software, the boys of the school are left entirely to their own devices whilst not using Shore devices.
Growing up in this era of tech, I can conclusively say that the unlimited usage of the internet was not beneficial to my development or that of the boys in my year, or the cohorts that surround me. It is extremely naive to deny that young boys in particular are exceptionally curious, and thus come across all kinds of weird things that should not be seen by anyone, let alone a developing brain. Thus, I believe that, just like when a person turns 18 and becomes an adult, and gains access to new territory to engage with, when they are mature enough to handle it, the internet should be no different. The introduction of identity verification would enable many problems faced on the internet to be tackled head on. Prevent the usage of fake accounts under fake or other names. It would make cyber crime, such as bullying, harassment and sharing of illegal content much easier to track, and stop. But most importantly, it would encourage people to think twice before posting, as every post, comment, like, share, etc., becomes linked to their real life identity.