As we make progress in computing technology and build more complex tools, getting connected to the internet has become easier. Many mobile devices are now equipped with features allowing us to browse the net. In cities, there are free Wi-Fi hot spots and internet cafes around nearly every corner. Communication towers and antennas are sprouting like weeds, expanding internet access to more and more rural areas.
Ease of internet access has spawned social media and countless applications, games and tools that have now become daily life staples. For runners, there are mobile apps that allow them to track their distances via GPS or a connected pedometer. Kilometres and workouts can be logged and shared with friends on the web. There are apps that provide a virtual tour of the Louvre. Others are used to track diet and calorie intake, provide daily exercise tips, give driving directions, and store and share recipes. There are all sorts of games and puzzle apps, music apps, pictures and video apps. There’s practically an app for everything. And if one doesn’t exist yet, there’s probably a beta version in the works.
It seems like our lifestyles and needs have motivated the development of these tools and apps. But in turn, do these tools and apps also shape our lives?
Speaking from personal experience, I say “yes”. Before the internet, the extent of a newspaper’s reach was limited to the size of its circulation. With the growth of the World Wide Web, bangkokpost.com can reach people outside of the physical circulation.
Software layout tools allow Bangkok Post to create different ways to present news, editorials and reports. As an editor, introduction of the web changed the way I work. The publication process, datelines, work timeline and the editing process are now different than it was then. Capturing Bangkok life for the paper used to be a desk job. Now, it is 24/7 with my notepads and pens augmented by a laptop and a smartphone.
Social media platforms such as Facebook have allowed me to be more involved with my extended family. My niece’s daughter, Jamie, grew up in the US and has never visited Thailand. For years, I was content with seeing pictures and hearing news from family members that she is happy and healthy. However, since Jamie signed up for a Facebook account, I’ve been reading her posts and enjoying seeing pictures that she takes. Facebook allows me to share her interests, get a taste of her personality and understand her point of view. For her, I think that she appreciates the control that she has over what she wants to share and what she wants to keep private.
The same goes for other family members and friends. Though I still prefer the old-fashioned way of getting to know someone (through face-to-face conversations and meetings), when great distances, time zones and other life priorities get in the way, I don’t mind settling for passively reading status updates and posts.
To me, the growth of internet access and social applications has a positive impact on my life. In respect to work, it allows me to engage with a larger audience. In respect to family and friends, it allows me the convenience to stay in touch and in the loop. However, all tools and apps have the potential to negatively shape our lives.
In recent years, there have been increasing reports of people getting fired from their jobs because of comments they posted in blogs or on Facebook. Cyberbullying has grabbed national attention in the US following reports of teens committing suicide due to taunting harassment and threats using text messages, emails, blogs and Facebook posts. Criminals have also migrated their operations to the web. Identity theft, bank account theft and internet scams have also increased.
So if internet trappings and apps can both positively and negatively shape people’s lives, then how can anyone avoid the adverse effects? I think that there is no one right answer. Even the most cautious web surfer can on occasion inadvertently catch a computer virus or a worm. However, I think that part of the answer lies in education; notably, the younger generation who will grow up in this internet age.
Kids today are very competent in using the internet. However, it can’t be assumed that they are also competent in spotting cons, or if they are aware that opinions expressed in cyberspace have real-world repercussions. It’s very important that we, not just the immediate parents, but relatives, mentors and teachers set a good example. Rather than taking office dramas to Facebook, resolve the conflict professionally, face-to-face, in the real world.
Just as kids are taught to look both ways before crossing the street, they can also be taught to recognise internet scams. Children are taught not to use foul language and profanities in the playground. They can also be taught not to use the same language online. Children have supervised play until they are grown enough to understand rough play and safe play. So they should also be supervised until they have grown to understand the dos and don’ts of social media.
I don’t have the luxury of being a hands-on family member for Jamie. But I intend on following her on Facebook. I will Like her accomplishments and celebrate her individuality. And if she does something inappropriate, I will let her know (perhaps a phone call to her mum if the situation warrants it).
Technology is a wonderful tool. So let’s remain engaged and teach the children properly. If we can get this far with the internet, imagine what they can do with it in the years to come.
Prapai Kraisornkovit is the editor of the Bangkok Post’s Life section.