The Flip Side of the Internet

Maureen L Gardiner

ENGL 0250-154

H. Susi

9/26/11

     Bennett truly grabbed my attention in her story, “Flip side of the Internet Fame.”  I could not imagine any one that I know, becoming an object on the Dark Side of the Internet.  Having someone that I know or loved, be so humiliated in this way, and so mentally tortured is beyond my comprehension. In Raza’s life, I feel that he will never let go of the feeling of shame, set upon him by the student who found his film. Nevertheless, what was he thinking of when he left such a recording behind.  Anyone finding this video would have a field day with it.

      In 1969, the United States Government set up the internet. The main purpose was for the Government to communicate via text within academic and research agencies. A few years after that, the internet was set up in many colleges and universities for there sole purpose of communicating. Once the colleges and universities had the system, in came “social networking”. 

      In the past ten to twelve years, ninety percent of homes have some kind of internet access.   It is unfortunate that some people have taken advantage of the net.  We now have bullies, predators, stalkers and personal information hackers using it..

      In the case of the student from Lewis & Clark College, his life will never be the same.  Anyone can use Google search, and locate your name and find information about you, on the World Wide Web.  Many companies, such as, law firms and dating services employ men and woman, to conduct internet searches on new clients and new employees.

      My cousin once posted on Face Book that she had to take $17,000 out of the bank to buy a new car, but when she went to the car dealership they were closed for the weekend. She posted that she now had to keep the money at her apartment over the weekend.  I could not get to my phone fast enough to call her and have her pull down the posting.  

      People will only feel safer if Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act ever becomes abolished, and lawsuits against the internet providers, such as AOL, Verizon and local cable companies will then benefit the innocent.