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TOPIC IX
INTERNET: ITS DARK AND LIGHT SIDES

I. Module Overview

This module discusses the dark side and the light side of the internet. Specifically,
this will deal on the following topics:
 A Review on the Internet
 How Does Internet Affects Audience (People)
 Advantages of the Internet
 Disadvantages of the Internet
 The Value of Internet for Media Institutions
 Implications for the Future
 The Dark Side of the Internet
o Utopian and Distopian Technologies
 The Light Side of the Internet
o The Internet and Interpersonal Communication
o Networking and Community
o Social Capital

II. Lesson Objectives

At the of the lesson, students are expected to:

 identify the dark and light side of the internet
 distinguish the dark and light side of the internet
 analyze how the internet affect the world
 read, analyze and write an article or paper about the said topic.

III. Motivation

Internet is continuously helping people to share and

gather vast of information easily and as well as to stay
connected with other people. Despite of this, there are still
issues concerning the use of it. From your experience using
the net, what can you infer with the given statement?

IV. Content Focus

THE INTERNET: A REVIEW

Internet or net (network of network) is defined as the largest computer network in

the world that connects billions of computer users.

The word internet comes from combination between “interconnection” and

“Network”. Network is a collection of computers and devices connected via
communication channels and transmission media allow to share resources (hardware,
software, data, information). Generally, nobody own internet.

AUDIENCE

 The intended audience for the internet is anyone and everyone in the world
who has access to a computer, there is no limit to the information that can
be found on the internet.
 The internet is used widely by the audience, mostly it used for researching
subjects and talking online. However it has many other uses, one
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advantage of the internet is that it can be used for advertising products and
companies. If you put an advert for a product on a site that is visited
regularly it will become more popular.
 The audience uses the internet for personal use to make their life easier
and faster. The internet can enable the audience to find information within
minutes and also allows them to talk to people all over the world wherever
they are.

HOW DOES INTERNET AFFECT THE AUDIENCE?

 It affects the audience in a good way because it makes their lives easier
and less problematic
 It enables them to do well in school and in work as they can access
information and advice easily
 However it can also change a person in the way they think and their lives
in general, as the internet allows them to access anything from anywhere
in the world and this isn’t always a good thing as extreme violence etc is
promoted.
 The audience use the internet for many different ways, in which are
explained on the next page. The internet is used in places such as school,
at home and at work.

WHY IS IT USED?

The internet is used for many different things such as:

 Talking to friends- using programmes such as msn and myspace (web2))
 Online shopping- buying items from the internet without leaving your home
using sites such as www.tesco.com
 Watching Videos- using websites such as www.youtube.com
 Research- using search engines such as www.google.com
 Downloading/listening to music- using programmes such as lime wire or
sites such as www.myspace.com

ADVANTAGES OF INTERNET

 Communication
o Communication is a process transmitting and
receiving symbol, data, image, text, document,
graphics, etc. by using various computer devices.
o It including the process of collecting, processing,
distributing, sharing, retrieving, transferring and
storing the information
o Internet now being a main communication tool.
Using video conferencing, internet
phone,Messenger, email etc.

 Research
o In order to do research you need to go through
hundreds of books as well as the references and
that was one of the most difficult jobs to do earlier.
o Research is one such thing which has got lots of
benefit from this evolution of internet.
o Allows easy and quick access to information.
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o Enables user to access files and information from any computer

anywhere in the world

 Education
o Education is one of the best things that the
internet can provide.
o There are a number of books, reference books,
online help centres, expert’s views and other
study oriented material on the internet that can
make the learning process very easier as well
as a fun learning experience.

 Financial Transactions
o Financial transaction is the term which is used
when there is exchange of money.
o With the use of internet in the financial
transaction, your work has become a lot easier.
o With the ability to do the financial transaction
easily over the internet you can purchase or sell
items so easily
 Downloading music – quick and easy
 User can send information quickly from computer to computer.

DISADVANTAGES OF INTERNET

 Theft of Personal Information

o The use of Internet for banking, social
networking, or other services, often makes our
personal information vulnerable to theft
o Unscrupulous hackers can access our sensitive
information through unsecured connections by
planting phishing software.

 Spamming
o Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails,
which serve no purpose and needlessly obstruct
the computer system
o Spammers usually use bots that bombard the
receiver with an endless line of advertisements.
o This can prove to be increasingly perplexing, as it
keeps getting mixed with our more important
emails

 Malware Threats
o One of the most annoying problems with the
Internet is the ease with which any malware can
infect our computers.
o Virus programs are inconspicuous and may get
activated simply by clicking a seemingly
harmless link
o Computers connected to the Internet are
extremely prone to IP targeted virus attacks that
may end up crashing the system completely.
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 Social Isolation,Obesity and Depression

o The biggest problem with having the Internet is,
its ability to create rifts between the real and
virtual world.
o There is an addiction for everything that pertains
to the web and that includes excessive surfing,
online gambling, social networking, and gaming
addiction
o Since all problems are so deeply linked with one another and with the
Internet, it isn't uncommon for people to be afflicted with multiple issues.
o It stops children from going out, as they wish to stay home and use the
internet to talk to friends etc
 It promotes violence and bad behaviour within society, as it contains violent
videos and other disturbing images
 It can encourage negative activities such as pornography and paedophilia,
these things can now be explored more openly due to the internet

THE VALUE OF INTERNET FOR MEDIA INSTITUTIONS

The internet is a great advantage to different institutions around the world. It

enables them to:

 Advertise online which gives them further promotion

 Allow customers etc. to make online accounts and buy products online
 They can use the internet to create their own website which can give clients
the latest news etc.
 Allows them to send emails etc. to institutions in other countries to also give
further promotion and development
 They can download information from the internet on to their computer
systems quick and easily

CONVERGENCE

 The internet links with lots of other technologies, audiences and institutions
 It has a wide variety of different audiences which use it for different things
which have been explained previously
 Other technologies such as ipods, laptops, mobile phones etc all use the
internet for advertisement and all link back to the internet in one way or
another. For example most mobile phones have internet access, music
downloaded from the internet is put onto ipods and the internet is
accessible with the use of a laptop/
 Institutions all use the internet, mainly for advertising.
 The internet overall is one of the most important things within the world and
the industry, it has evolved so much over the years, institutions wouldn’t be
the same without it.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

The internet will develop in the future in the following ways:

 It will become cheaper for people to use
 It will become much faster and information will be able to be accessed more
quickly
 More and more information will be added to it, which will make it the worlds
biggest technology resource
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 It will continue to grow and as it becomes cheaper people in less

economically developed countries will gain access to it, further developing
their education and access to information
 Overall, the internet will become even more advanced in technology,
making it cheaper, faster and more widely accessed.

THE DARK SIDE OF THE INTERNET

(Hiring and Online Identity)

Online Identity
 Posting certain things may harm your online identity.
 What can hurt you:
o Offensive pictures
o Degrading interaction with other
o Etc.
 Do you know how you portray yourself?

Who Sees What You Post?

 Anyone can see things you post.
o Twitter protected tweets
o Others can retweet your protected
tweets
 Facebook privacy settings
o Are a joke
o Various ways to bypass them
 Once you post something it is out there forever
 Someone, somwhere will save it

How Does This Relate to Getting Hired?

 Do people really use social media to “check
out” potential hires?
o 89% of companies will use social media
networks for recruiting96% of recruiters
look at your social networking site at
some point of the hiring process
o 69% of companies have rejected
candidates due to social media.

What would stop you from getting hired?

 Inappropriate photos or comments
 Content about you drinking
o Can be hard for college students
 Content about using drugs
 Negative comments about previous employer
 Poor communication skills
 Lying about your qualifications

Keeping your job

 Posting offensive material can get you removed from your job.
o Inappropriate photos
o Bad mouthing boss, coworkers, clients
o Discriminatory comments
o Sharing confidential info
 Easy to find if you are Lying
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UTOPIAN AND DYSTOPIAN TECHNOLOGIES

We can find technology in everyday life:

 Work and offices
 Our private life

Technology and Us

Utopian Dreams

 Technology development changes our everyday life  positive future

 Technology brings us Cyberlibertarism

o “politics movement of the end of the 20th century”
o Cyberspaces  Freedom
o Diversity of Communities
o Electronic Neighbors
o Being digital = Being Free

Dystopian Shadow

 Technological development and the society based on it  many different

problems
 Force society in a particular direction

 Media control in the hands of few  So on..not a real way to achieve

democracy in the technology
 Decline in habits of sociability
o Isolation
o Discomfort
o Fear of Pressure of other people
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 Not a Democracy
o No identity  only interactive with communities with the same
thought, beliefs, ect.
o People Personalize in his/her own favor
o Government will regulate the cyberspace
o Handful of organizations control all the major media outlets for
news, entertainment, opinion, artistic expression, and the shaping
of public taste.
 Affects social life

Pros and Cons of Information Age

Pros Cons
Information easily available The loss of communities
Efficient Social dependence on
technologies, create anxiety
Ability to transfer information and Decline in socialbility
knowledge
Entertainment Discarded members of society

Utopia versus Dystopia

 World would change because of the quick and efficient information

exchange
 Participation without prejudice
 Would solve many of the world’s problems
o Help the environment
 Political implications of technology
o Decentralize control
o “Government control will be eroded, people will associate and
transact freely” (Townley & Parsell)
 Internet as a trap
 Identity: no accountability
o WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
 Feedback systems rose
 Information dissemination
 Increased democratic nature of the media

Cyber - disobedience

 Cyberpunk: non-conformist using technology to contest, dissent from or

combat a questionable status quo
o Cyberpunks hoped the net would produce anarchy
 Wiki Wars
o Free encyclopedia that can be edited by anyone
o Contributors not required to defend their contributions
o Lack of transparency
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THE LIGHT SIDE OF THE INTERNET

THE INTERNET AND

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THE INTERNET

 New Opportunities
o Widening your social networks
o Computer mediated communication (CMC) allows people to seek out
information and develop relationships
o Enhance your educational accessibility

How does the internet affect interpersonal relationships?

 Creating interpersonal relationships online;
 Feeling part of a community online;

Interpersonal Dynaimcs Online

 Speed
o the time it takes to send and receive messages;
 Anonymity
o refers to identities created online, claiming to be someone you are
not;
 Interactivity
o the ability of online participants to not only receive messages, but
to react to them
 Regard
o to be acknowledged as an individual

Interpersonal Communication

 It is a one-to-one communication;
 face-to-face or online;
 Computer-mediated communication is closest to interpersonal
communication;

Within the Perspective of Interpersonal Communication

 Personal contexts;
 Individual purposes;
 Flaming;
 Identity;
 Story-telling;
 Online relationships;
 Relational stages;

Community Online
 Community online is the ability of people to come together, to have a sense
of sharing and commonality in an online environment;

Will Online Interpersonal Communication Enhance or

Attenuate Human Relationships?
 Online relationships often include fantasy, stereotypical, idealized images;
 Will time online substitute for other forms of communication?
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Enhancement or Attenuation
 One study finds that the Internet intensifies dispositions toward sociability
or community involvement (DiMaggio, Hargittai, Neuman, and Robinson
(2001); Another study finds that use of the Internet is influenced by local
culture and power relations (Wheeler, 2001);

Social Uses of the Internet

 To meet people and create relationships;
 To enhance relationships with family and friends;
 To maintain long-distance relationships;

Some Effects of Interpersonal Communication Online

 Computer-mediated communication is similar to face-to-face communication,
and may even affect how people communicate face-to-face;
 There is often a casual sense of play in Internet communication;
 There are often paradoxes associated with Internet communication;
 Certain aspects of communication are intensified by Internet use;
 Internet communication strongly engages intrapersonal communication;
 The process of attaching meaning to the message is evident in online
communication;

Effects of Speed, Reach, Anonymity, Regard and Interactivity

 We expect our communication technologies to be fast;
 We are becoming obsessed with efficiency;
 In spite of all the speed in communication technologies, many people feel
they are running on a tread mill and cannot keep up with all that is coming
at them;

Reach
 In addition to your ability to reach others, reach also means that you can
be reached just about anytime, anywhere;
 Some speculate that the sense of constant connectedness, the speed of
our messages, and the difficulty of keeping up with all the information
reaching us, causes people to feel nervous and frustrated—to feel rage at
times;

Flaming
 Flaming refers to harsh language directed at an individual online;
 Scholars have speculated about the lack of social cues online due to the
fact that generally we cannot see one another online, as contributing to
flaming;
 With reduced feedback, it is speculated, we can project our own hopes and
fears; • Some believe that the reduction in social cues accounts for a
tendency to be more disinhibited online, both in self disclosure and in
aggression (the “disinhibition effect”;

Interactivity
 Interactivity refers to the ability to respond to messages so as to give
feedback, e.g., flaming may be seen as expressing anger in speaking back;

Anonymity
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 Not being identified as your self, or believing you are not identified as your
self;
 Some speculate that anonymity enhances the chances of expressing anger
online—e.g., flaming;

Influence on Family
 Families are affected by the Internet and the way they communicate on the
Internet;
 The computer appears to affect different family members differently;
 Family members use the computer for entertainment, escape, habit, and to
pass time;

Some ways Family Members Can Use the Computer

 To provide communication content;
 To increase human interplay;
 To improve individual’s self-esteem;
 To enable new opportunities for interpersonal relationships;

Online Relationships
 Cultural differences are likely to affect perceptions of online
communication;
 According to one study, the Japanese were far more skeptical about the
value of the Internet in human communication than the Americans or the
Koreans;

Computer-Literacy Theory
 One researcher suggests that the cultural differences actually may be due
to practical differences;
 Computer-literacy theory points to differences between cultures that are
differences in the ease of inputing the language into the computer, cost of
online time, and the cost of competing technologies;

Online Dating and Relationships

 One study found that both men and women lied online, but for different
reasons;
 Women lied to protect themselves from men and men lied to protect their
true identity so they could take greater risks with emotions online;
 In online relationships, a person may think they know the other well, due to
limited information;
 Much of the relationship is created in the mind, to fill in for missing
information;

Control of Information about the Self

 Some research suggests that the typical pattern of development of online
relationships advances through more and more personal ways of
communicating, with less and less control over the information revealed about
the self;

Assumptions of Online Presentations of Self

 Assumption 1
o The computer screen can deceive
o Synchronous communication is when communication is taking place
between the sender and receiver at the same time or in real time
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oAsynchronous communication is when the sender and receiver do not

synchronize before and after each communication exchange
 Assumption 2
o Online discussions often prompt introspection
 Assumption 3
o Online discussions promote self-orientation

ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL NETWORKING

What are the online communities?

 Online location where a user can create a profile and build a personal
network that him or her to other users.
o MySpace
 Social networking website geared toward all
 internet users
 Loose age restrictions
 Supports creative user profiles
 On August 6, 2006, MySpace reported the one
 millionth page was created in the Netherlands
o Facebook
 Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg
 Originally intended for college students as a
 more closed system based on .edu e-mail address
 Now, Facebook is now available to all individuals
 with a valid e-mail address

Teen Usage of Social Networks

 Girls
o More likely to participate in social networking than boys
o Participation rates increase with age
o Utilize the social networking sites to reinforce pre-existing
relationships
 Boys
o Less likely than girls to participate in social networking
o Like girls, participation rates increase with age
o Utilize sites to flirt and make new friends

Legal Issues from Social Networking

 Privacy
 Discipline
 Safety
 Cyber-Bullying
o Primary purpose is to spread college gossip
o Terms of Use are similar to other social
o networking sites
o Not as strictly monitored as MySpace and Facebook

Legal Implications for Educators

 What to consider before taking action?

o Is the online infraction a true threat?
 If yes, then the First Amendment privilege does not apply
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 Did the incident happen on-campus or was it brought on-campus?

o If yes, then the school can take disciplinary action (Fraser test)
 Will the incident disrupt the actions of the school day?
o If yes, then school administrators can prohibit actions that will cause a
material and substantial disruption (Tinker)
 Did the infraction invade the rights of others?
o If yes, then the individual may face charges of defamation or libel.

What schools can do?

 Educate teachers on the variety of social networking sites students are using.
 Teach students how to use social networking sites responsibly.
 Encourage parents to become more involved in their childs online activities.
 Create and enforce school-wide internet usage policies.

SOCIAL CAPITAL
SOCIAL CAPITAL AND NETWORKING

What is Social Capital?

 Social capital is a special type of capital resulting from investments in
building relations, institutions and networks that produce collaborative
attitudes, shared norms and values, mutual understanding and trust –
critical factors for cooperation with other types of capital and thus
contributing to sustainable development.
o It covers significant features of social life– networks, norms, and
trust – that enable participants to act together more effectively to
pursue shared objectives and capacity-building

Theoretical Claims on
Social Capital

1. Social capital has significant consequences for societal cooperation,

coordination and collaboration
2. Social capital has significant consequences for democratic governance
3. Social capital explains variations in performance of the government across
all countries

Concerns of Social Capital

The social capital focuses on the following critical aspects:

 Who knows whom (Social Networks)

 The character of these networks
 The strength of our ties
 Levels of trust
 Levels of reciprocity

Types of Social Capital

1. 1. Public-Regard: we are tied to formal groups (City Council; PTA; People

First; Kiwanis)
2. Private Regard: we are tied to informal groups (Church; Softball team;
NeighborhoodWatch)
3. Formal vs. Informal (Bylaws & Committees vs. Social/Interest/Hobby
relationships)
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4. Bridging: Social ties that attempt to cut across differences including Race,
Gender, Disability, Class, Religion, etc.)
5. Bonding: Links people together like themselves (special interest groups,
neighborhood associations, hobby clubs, etc.)

Social Networks defined…

 Social networks are the networks formed by social ties either online/offline.
They can be ego-centric (personal networks) or alter/community-centric.
Generally, they are both personal social network and community social
network (defined by kinship, interest, practice, or other) and hence likely
know each other very well.
 A social network is a description of the social structure between actors,
mostly individuals or organizations. It indicates the ways in which they are
connected through various social familiarities ranging from casual
acquaintance to close familiar bonds.
 It is the grouping of individuals into specific clusters like small rural
communities, working units, marketing firms or a neighborhood subdivision

What is NETWORKING?
 Social networking is an activity aimed towards the creation of new ties or
the maintenance of one’s social network (usually for professional
advantage). It is supported by one’s social networks. The term is
sometimes liberally used in lieu of social networks or social network sites
(SNS), e.g., ‘social networking sites’. It is more applicable to SNS which
are built primarily for the purpose of extending one’s network for personal
or professional advantage (e.g., LinkedIn).

Valuing Trust in a Social Network

 Thick Trust: where trust extends only to known friends & associates
 Thin Trust: where trust extends to include total strangers

Networking in Social Media

 Social media are websites and applications that enable users to create and
share content or to participate in social networking.
 Social media originated as strictly a personal tool that people used to
interact with friends and family but were later adopted by businesses that
wanted to take advantage of a popular new communication method to
reach out to customers.
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10 Considerations for Online Networking

1. Boundedness
 The proportion of network member ties that stay within boundaries of
the social network.
2. Density
 Proportion of all possible ties that actually exist
 Organizational teams should be denser than one
 IT designers should create desired density, like online messaging for
dense networks and offline messaging for sparse networks
3. Exclusivity
 people interact primarily one to one or are their individual contacts
available to a wider set of persons
4. Social Control
 External sources create, constrain and manages a person’s contacts
and exchanges.
5. Network Externality
 Extent to which a network is useful
 Developers make sure the frameworks enable more and more
usefulness
6. Range
 Large and diverse population with its boundaries. Example: School
 Network designs should address these ranges
7. Network Centralization
 Less centralized network has lesser chances of failure
 Evenly distributed nodes are better in failure scenarios
8. Degree Centrality
 Quality of connections and not their quantity
9. Strength of Ties
 Probably linear combination of the amount of time, emotional intensity,
the intimacy and reciprocal services
 Network of friends should ensure provision of reciprocal services and
emotional interaction
10. Between Centrality
 Networks should be designed as minimum number of nodes in central
positions
 Shorter global path benefits the entire network

Disadvantages of Social Networking

 Photos, comments, tweets, etc. that we post will be forever on the Internet
 Privacy is suddenly no longer private
 Rocketing cases of online mobbing (Cyber-mobbing) and stalking
 Cybercriminals can prey on you as a potential victim
 Hackers may access your personal account on bank or social media sites
 Alluring ads and stupid scams are becoming widespread
 Viruses and worms are deposited on websites
 Potential employers might find inappropriate information about you online
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RAISING ONLINE SOCIAL CAPITAL

Why is social capital important?

 Increase Organizational awareness

 Increases in civic engagement
 Develops respect and appreciation of your organization
 Helps to create partnerships
 Organizational branding
 It can be spent or invested as actual capital

How does it work?

 Viral Videos
 Viral E-mails
 Trending Topics
 News Stories
 Comments
 Popularity

V. Self-Check

Most of the students nowadays uses social media, Facebook in particular, to

express their thoughts, gather news, and be updated on the current trends and issues
in the society. Aside from these, students are also using it to stay and keep connected
with their friends, peers and love ones. As part of this group [active user of Facebook],
what particular steps are you going to do to increase your social capital? How are you
going to achieve it?

VI. Assessment

Read the article on Appendices E and F. Write an expository essay based from the
article read. (25 points)
*for the criteria, please refer to the previous lesson’s assessment

VII. References

Davam. (2006, August 6). PowerShow. Retrieved from powershow.com:

https://www.powershow.com/view1/f701b-
ZDc1Z/Online_Communities_and_Social_Networking_powerpoint_ppt_presentation

Duterte, J. (2017, September 17). SlideShare. Retrieved from slideshare.net:

https://www2.slideshare.net/JunardDuterte/social-capital-and-networking

Robinson, R. (2019, March 29). SlideServe. Retrieved from slideserve.com:

https://www.slideserve.com/ros/technology-and-interpersonal-communication-
powerpoint-ppt-presentation

Salena. (2012, July 3). SlideServe. Retrieved from slideserve.com:

https://www.slideserve.com/salena/interpersonal-communication-on-the-internet

Sweeney, P. (2010, April 29). SlideShare. Retrieved from slideshare.net:

https://www2.slideshare.net/pcsweeney/social-capital?from_action=save