The Rew

Trolling can cause serious psychological and emotional trauma, very much akin to that caused by a stalker or child abuser. My first instinct to solving this problem was to enforce a ban on all trollers. But from the case study, I now realize that there are other issues to consider, such as freedom of speech. I am wondering if there are any existing anti-harassment laws that can be applied to online harassment (such as trolling) without infringing upon the rights to free speech.

For the moment, in lieu of such laws, I feel that the best overall solution (out of the three proposed in the article) is education. This is an extension of my belief that ignoring (or ‘shunning’) the troller is the most effective option, while preserving speech rights of individuals. Educating users (new users especially) to the presence of such a threat in cyberspace, and the modus operandi of trollers, will enable shunning to be carried out more effectively, because it is not the mechanism of shunning that runs into problems as a solution, but the recognition of when it is required and the discipline needed to apply it.

After reading this article, my first instinct was to search for Hurricane Katrina blogs on Google. There were literally hundreds… The same goes for Hurricane Rita blogs. After reading some of them, I realized that the ‘natural’ reverse chronological order of postings fits really well into the use of blogs to disseminate information in this case. Readers who want the latest or most current news about the situation could easily find these updates atop the opening page.

The coverage on these blogs was extremely comprehensive and informative, with practically all aspects of the disaster and recovery captured. There were factual updates, political viewpoints, the aid status, and personal stories. To me, the most unique value of blogging in this instance is the ‘personal touch’, because it gives readers a more ‘real’ feel of the happenings, i.e. blogs are more likely to touch readers emotionally because it is written as a first-hand experience, whereas a traditional website/newspaper report is written (deliberately) in a detached and formal style.

Here is a chronological (not reversed) list of my communication patterns and information technology use for a 24-hour period (instead of a 12-hour period) from 11.00 a.m. September 24, 2005 (Saturday) to 11.00 a.m. September 25, 2005 (Sunday).

11.00 a.m.: Turned on Toshiba Satellite notebook computer (PC) and launched Windows Media Center to download and view local TV program guide. Left the Media Center channel on NBC to watch The President’s Cup golf tournament.

11.05 a.m.: Launched Netscape Navigator 7.2 on the PC and signed in to Yahoo! Mail to cleared mailbox. (36 mins)

1.20 p.m.: Started up iMac and checked weather widget for today’s weather forecast, before starting homework. (1 min)

1.45 p.m.: Launched Safari browser on iMac to check emails in Yahoo! Mail again. (3 mins)

1.50 p.m.: Used dictionary widget to check up on meaning of 3 words, before going back to work in assignment. (2 mins)

2.15 p.m.: Launched Safari browser again to check United Airlines ticket prices online for Thanksgiving period. (6 mins)

2.28 p.m.: Used cell phone to call Amtrack telephony dialogue system (as part of COMM_ST 525 assignment) (10 mins)

3.57 p.m.: Received phone call on cell phone from girlfriend in California. (3 mins)

4.58 p.m.: Launched Firefox browser on iMac to check Blackboard for new/updated instructions on COMM_ST 388. (3 mins)

5.05 p.m.: Launch Safari browser to look for information on DVD burning troubleshooting for the iMac. (5 mins)

5.55 p.m.: Used dictionary widget to check up on meaning of 2 words, before going back to work in assignment. (1 min)

7.01 p.m.: Saw advertisement for the new Volkswagen Passat on TV (PC), and used Safari browser to search “New Passat” in Google. (8 mins)

8.28 p.m.: Used cell phone to call girlfriend in California (33 mins)

10.00 p.m.: Launched Safari browser to check on order status of table lamp. (1 min)

11.00 p.m.: Logged in to MSN Messenger on the iMac and chatted with friend from Melbourne. (15 mins)

11.15 p.m.: Logged in to Skype on iMac and talked to mother and sister in Singapore. (10 mins)

12.00 a.m.: Saw an advertisement on TV for Long John Silver’s chicken and fish sandwich, and launched Safari browser to search for the nearest Long John Silver’s branch to Evanston using Google. (2 mins)

12.50 a.m.: Launched Safari browser, used Google to search for skymall.com website, and ordered 3 items (online shopping). (20 mins)

1.10 a.m.: Received call on cell phone from girlfriend in California. (20 mins)

1.46 a.m.: Launched Internet Explorer (on PC) and searched Northwestern University homepage to look for location of Library IT Computer Lab. (2 mins)

1.48 a.m.: Visited “http://www.alexking.org/software/wordpress/theme_browser.php” in Internet Explorer to look at styles for COMM_ST 388-0 blog. (5 mins)

9.28 a.m.: Launched Netscape (on PC) to check weather information for today on Netscape homepage. (1 min)

10.23 p.m.: Received text message on cell phone from girlfriend in California. (1 min)

When I reviewed my own use patterns for this period, there were a couple of interesting and surprising facts that I noticed. First, I realized that the computer and an Internet connection have become a necessity in my everyday life. I search for almost all forms of information from online. It is always the first source that I go to… And if the Internet connection in my apartment is down for a few hours when I need to search for information (like it was in the middle of the 24-hour period I was observing), I would go and look for another Internet connection (by either borrowing a neighbor’s access point, or going to an Internet café) rather than call and ask a ‘human’ source for the information I need.

The Internet has also enabled me to contact my friends and family back home and around the world, for which I am very grateful. I never use international calling by the phone companies anymore. Instead, I use Skype, MSN Messenger, iChat, and ICQ regularly to contact my family back home, and also friends from home that are spread out over the globe – from Australia to Ireland! All this for no extra charge! Woo hoo!

I also noticed that I use very little text messaging as a form of communication here in the United States, because the cell phone plan that I am contracted to charges 10 cents per message. So I would rather use the 450 included minutes and free weeknight/weekend minutes to talk with friends so I don’t incur any additional charges. This pattern is totally the opposite of my use pattern back home, because the contracts there include 360 free text messages a month, while the included talk time is lower (about 200 minutes). So there, practically everyone is an expert in one-hand, no-look text messaging on a cell phone. Meetings are arranged, whole conversations take place, and even purchase transactions are completed without ever using vocal chords!