A declaration of the independence of cyberspace…A utopian cyberspace where the users create and enforce their own laws and regulations sounds dreamy, but in reality it’s near impossible achieve pure democracy. Although the physical world and virtual world do have some similarities, I can see that the laws from the physical world would not work when applied directly to the virtual world. The tricky part would be to maintain cyberspace main objectives of freedom of expression, apparent equality, privacy and democracy from those who misuse and exploit such freedom and lack of parameters.
It was only last week I had to speak to my sister about the photos and information she was status updating on Facebook. In cyberspace people seem to become “more naive and trusting in their online persona than what they would normally be in the physical world”( Rowland 1998). While cyberspace allows us to assume any persona we may choose regardless of our race or wealth it also allows the same for others who may abuse this. I just wonder whether or not the users of cyberspace can apply and enforce laws and regulations on this issue without the help of governments.
What is the right template for the governance of cyberspace? Taking from Rowland (1998), The laws that have been developed in the physical world by one country or community can not simply be transferred into another without taking account of the social, political and legal issues which have prompted the regulations. It’s the same in the virtual world. One set of Laws and regulations would not work across the virtual landscape of networks among networks.
Rowland D, 1998, http://www.bileta.ac.uk/Document%20Library/1/Cyberspace%20-%20A%20World%20Apart.pdf
I think a lot of people aren't as concerned about how things come across on the internet or their potential consequences because at this point in the internet's evolution, a lot of people haven't been direcly or hugely affected by things they've said or done on facebook or other social networking sites. there's occasionally talk of firing or breakups due to things posted on them. In the case, you're talking about here, I'm fairly sure the person's workplace was the one posting the photos...blurring the line, much?
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