Kyle Ranum – Inclusion and Exclusion on the World Wide Web

Inclusion v. Exclusion

Membership and Marginalization

The Internet and digital technology create new possibilities for the development of cultures, education, communities and knowledge. Unquestionably, the availability and proliferation of digital technology signifies a huge global transformation. Traditionally, there was a clear divide on the producers of information and the people who use it. The existence of digital technology has helped bridge that gap and has allowed the individual users to become producers and editors themselves. The resulting transformation of access to and creation of information is redefining the concept of knowledge. Today, a 20-year old college student has the same ability to create a web site on the dawn of the information age as a professor does. However, with the influx of information coming from multiple possible sources, we as the consumer need to filter the good from the bad, find the knowledge in the information. “With the web, all wisdom, all information possible, even the least pertinent, is there at our disposal. We have amplified our capacity to record information, but we have not yet discovered a new parameter of filtration.”[1]

On the other hand, the internet has greatly amplified the ability for people to communicate. It has opened up vast channels of possibility and opportunity to the majority of people that had not been able before. People can use the web and its information, possibilities and opportunities as a platform of social and cultural inclusion. However, inclusion will happen easier for some than others. There are limitations that allow some people an easier path toward membership that leave another population marginalized. Membership in this case is people who have access to the information superhighway as it was once called-the internet and the ones who don’t are pushed to the margins. The result; the great digital divide.

The digital divide is most commonly defined as the gap between those individuals and communities that have, and do not have, access to the information technologies that are transforming our lives.[2]In a 2004 report done by Larry Irving of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) stated,

“Overall, we have found that the number of Americans connected to the nation’s information infrastructure is soaring. Nevertheless, this year’s report finds that a digital divide still exists, and, in many cases, is actually widening over time. Minorities, low-income persons, the less educated, and children of single-parent households, particularly when they reside in rural areas or central cities, are among the groups that lack access to information resources.”[3]

Now more than ever before, high-speed connections promise to enhance productivity and economic competitiveness, improve education, and expand health care for many more people.  High-speed networks provide the power to erase geographic, economic, and cultural gaps.  With high-speed connections, workers can find jobs; small businesses can have global markets; rural doctors can consult with specialists from across the globe; and students can take classes that are taught from across the world ass well. If this luxury-if you can call it that, is offered to only some of the whole, then it is a blatantly unfair advantage. The world saw the new age of connectivity on august 9th of 1995 when Netscape went public. The internet became a tool of low-cost global connectivity. The advantage speaks for itself. As Thomas Freidman put it, “The sudden revolution in connectivity constituted one world flattening force.”[4]

Information in its vastness through multiple routes literally is put at your fingertips. Exclusion from access to the web puts anyone seeking said information at a disadvantage. In today’s society where everyone is on the go, and time is money, time lost seeking information that is not readily available, or at your fingertips is money lost. Not to mention the headache gained. Google cofounder Sergey Brin stated, “If someone has broadband, dial-up, access through an internet café, whether a kid in Cambodia, or a university professor who runs this search engine have the same basic access to research information that anyone has. It’s a total equalizer.”[5]

Carphonewarehouse.com was a company that took full advantage of Netscape and the following dot com boom to advance its business. As it was relatively simple, cheap and most importantly, they had the access. The La La Mountain peaches company had to go through leaps and bounds to get their access, but their result shows the importance of being included in the web community.

Google’s success is just evidence on how much people are interested in having all of the world’s knowledge at their fingertips. On the positive side, it is apparent that Americans are increasingly becoming connected over time. On the other hand, it is also apparent that certain groups are growing far more rapidly, particularly with respect to Internet connectivity. This pattern means that the “haves” have only become more information-rich, while the ‘have nots” are lagging even further behind. Even so, it is reasonable to expect that many people are going to lag behind in absolute numbers for a long time. Education and income appear to be among the leading elements driving the digital divide today. Because these factors vary along racial and ethnic lines, minorities will continue to face a greater digital divide as we move into the next century. Until the gap begins to close on the digital divide, so many people will continue to be technologically marginalized, thus being excluded from one of the largest, fastest growing, and ever changing clubs in the world. There is no bigger inclusive force than having the access to the World Wide Web and all of its contents at your disposal.

Furthermore, there is inclusion and exclusion for the ones who are on the internet. The internet has come a long way since its inception in the mid-1990’s. The man who created what we know as the World Wide Web Tim Berners-Lee said himself, “The internet is a network of networks.” Meaning the internet is just a bunch of connected computers that come together to form an imaginary space. The net now has become a community within itself. People not only can go on for the seemingly infinite sea of information but as a social common ground as well. Websites now offer people to connect and mingle, chit chat and interact with each other. People can meet based on anything; Interests, hobbies, sports, shopping, gaming-the possibilities are endless.  Websites just like the ones my colleagues mention-college humor, secondlife, club penguin and facebook offer a “space” for human interaction in the virtual form. Even websites like youtube-a video sharing site and eBay- an online shopping emporium have become places where people can virtually hang-out via messages and forums. They’ve become their own self-sufficient online place of gatherings.

ebay “neighborhoods” a place to not only buy and sell, but to talk to fellow coffee lovers or hog riders.

Just like real communities, there is person to person interaction. Just like real communities, not everyone gets along. I looked specifically at a local (Twin Cities, MN) message board that is offered by KFAN 1130 called “Rube Chat”.  Rube chat is a relatively small message board entertaining just under 7,000 users, but like its own small town, there is a definite hierarchical setting. There are members who are included and ones who are shown the door. Again just like in the real, members don’t just walk in to a spot in the community they are earned.

But how do you earn spot online? Well, simply reputation. Just like the new kid in high school, get your foot in the door by finding that first “friend,” and by building a solid reputation eventually you might find your place in the clique.

Nigahiga is the most subscribed to member on youtube with over 1,600,000. In a hierarchical sense would that make him king of the mountain? Maybe people just like him more?

Jackie Treehorn has earned themselves a spot as a rube chat regular. Rube chat keeps track of how many post and points each member has. You can receive points by being quoted or starting successful threads. But are points/posts really what determines who’s in or who’s out? Probably not, but it could help.

The concept of inclusion v. exclusion differ between who’s not included or as I would say completely marginalized-those without access, to those only somewhat marginalized in those that have access, just lacking in acceptance. Either way, they can put people at a disadvantage educationally, economically, and/or socially. Obviously, its better to have some than none, because at least if you have the access to the internet, you have access to be or do virtually anyone or anything.

---

[1] Eco, Umberto. “For all purposes useful” In: Jean Claude Carriere et al. Inteviews about the end of time. Rio de Janeiro, Rocco, 1999. pp. 171-200., 1999. pp. 171-200.

[2] Dickard, Norris. Schneider, Diana. “Digital Divide: Where We Are.”  http://www.edutopia.org/digital-divide-where-we-are-today.  7/1/2002.

[3] Irving, Larry.  “Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide.” NTIA Report, 2004. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/introduction.html

[4] Friedman, Thomas L. “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twentieth Century.” New York, New York, pp. 60. 2005

[5] Brin, Sergey. From Friedman, Thomas L. “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twentieth Century.” pp 177.

About the author

My name is Kyle Ranum I’m a first year student at the University of Minnesota. I’m on my third school in 4 years, stopping at Century Comm College and River Falls before landing in Minneapolis. I’m working on my degree in journalism hoping to catch a gig writing about my one and only passion-sports. I can’t get enough. Perfect world situation is I have my own radio show, and tell the world my takes on sports. In my free time I still play hockey, baseball and football at the amateur level and I’ve just started dabbling in facial hair.

Good luck  to all